Lewis, William H.
1868-1949 · Contribution: 1910
First African American Assistant U.S. Attorney General
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Impact on the world
Became the first African American to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney General in 1910, a significant early breakthrough in federal legal leadership decades before the broader civil rights movement.
Life & background
Admitted to the bar in the 1890s, Lewis became the first African American to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney General in 1910, a notable achievement in federal government during an era of widespread legal segregation.
Sources
- BlackPast.org (William Henry Lewis); Bay State Banner (Eloquent orator and lauded lawyer)
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