Oscar Stanton De Priest was an American Republican politician and civil rights advocate. He served as a U.S. Representative from the state of Illinois. During his three terms, he was the only African American serving in Congress.
De Priest proposed a law barring discrimination in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was program of the New Deal to employ people across the country in building infrastructure. His proposal was made a law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1929, De Priest made national news. First Lady Lou Hoover invited his wife, Jessie, to a traditional tea for congressional wives at the White House. In reaction several newspapers published a racist poem called Niggers in the White House. The poem was first published when Booker T. Washington dined with President Theodore Roosevelt.
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1871 births
1951 deaths
Burials at Graceland Cemetery
United States representatives from Illinois
Politicians from Alabama
African American politicians
Republican Party (United States) politicians
People from Florence, Alabama
