James J. Spelman

James J. Spelman (January 18, 1841 – June 25, 1894) was an American journalist and politician active in New York and Mississippi. His early career was as a journalist and a stage performer and manager in New York City. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Spelman helped encourage the use of African-American soldiers, and once they were allowed, helped recruit. After the war, he moved to Mississippi where he continued his work as a journalist and served for six years in the state legislature.

Early life James J. Spelman was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 18, 1841. His father was "Pop" Spelman and was for more than thirty years the pastor of Abyssinia Baptist Church in Waverley Place, New York City. He attended public schools in Connecticut until 1855 when he moved to New York City with his family.

In 1859, he began to work for newspapers as a carrier and dealer. During that year, he became a regular contributor to the Weekly Anglo-African and later to its successor, the Pine and Palm. In New York he became acquainted with many leading journalists of the era, including Horace Greeley and George Alfred Townsend. He also organized a dramatic company and organized stage shows along with Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield. Among the performances he directed was an April 1862 performance at the Metropolitan Assembly Room in New York City which was organized to raise money to improve the lands donated by abolitionist Gerrit Smith to freed slaves.

New York City during the Civil War In 1861, the Civil War started and Spelman was among a large number of African Americans that assembled at the Metropolitan Assembly in New York City, but which were denied the chance to enlist as initially only white men were accepted as soldiers. He then was a member of the committee which sought to organize the Fremont Legion (named for abolitionist General, John C. Frémont), which was never accepted. Later in the war he was active in raising recruits from men involved in New York City public schools which formed a battalion known as the "Shaw Cadets" to which Spelman was elected Major. The nickname came from Robert Gould Shaw, who was famous for leading black soldiers at the Battle of Fort Wagner. The organization gave several exhibitions, but was not enlisted into the Union Army.

Spelman's role in New York black society is illustrated in his giving assistance to Perry Douglass, the half brother of Frederick Douglass. Perry and his family arrived in New York City in 1867 and Spelman paid for their continuing on to meet Frederick in Rochester in July 1867, which Frederick described as "an event altogether too affecting for words to describe".

Political and journalism career in Mississippi In 1868, Spelman moved to Mississippi with the aid of Rufus L. Perry and the African Civilization Society where he worked as a teacher for the Freedmen's Bureau. In July 1869 he was appointed justice of the peace and alderman of the city of Canton, Mississippi, by military commander Adelbert Ames and Assistant Internal Revenue Assessor Boutwell on the recommendation of B. B. Eggleston, who was the Internal Revenur Assessor. When Mississippi was re-admitted into the union in 1869, Spelman was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives to represent Madison County. He served for six years and served as chairman of the Committee on Corporations and was a member of the Judiciary and the Ways and Means Committees. He also gave noted addresses on a Civil Rights Bill and on the occasion of the death of Charles Sumner. Spelman was closely associated with Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn. He was made aid-de-camp on the governor's staff and given the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the state militia. He later was promoted to colonel of the first regiment of militia. and in 1870 he was a special correspondent of the New York Tribune. In 1870, Spelman was elected vice-president of the newly organized Republican Press Association.

In 1871 the legislature established Alcorn University, and Spelman was appointed by Governor Alcorn to the board of trustees and was elected secretary. In 1892, Spelman launched a pro-Republican paper, the Standard.

Other activities Spelman was an active temperance advocate and was a member of the National Temperance Society. He was also involved in freemasonry and in the Kings of Labor.