Judson Whitlocke Lyons

Career Lyons was active in Republican Party politics from an early age. In 1880, Lyons was the youngest member of the Republican National Convention at the age of 20. He briefly worked in the U.S. Treasury Department before enrolling in law school. After graduating Lyons was admitted to the Georgia Bar, becoming the second African American licensed to practice law in the state (following Styles Hutchins, who was admitted in 1878).

He formed a law firm in 1896 with Henry Moses Porter. Lyons was elected to represent Georgia on the Republican National Committee in 1896.

After his election President William McKinley sought to appoint Lyons as the Postmaster of Augusta but was withdrawn due to objections over his race. He was then appointed Register of the Treasury in 1898 and was the second African American to hold this post, and the second to have his signature appearing on U.S. Currency. He was reappointed in 1901 after receiving support from Booker T. Washington. Lyons later fell into disfavor with Washington after Washington learned that Lyons had expressed sympathy towards William Monroe Trotter after the 1903 Boston Riots.

After his political career Lyons served president of the Board of Trustees at the Haines Normal and Industrial Institute. Lyons died on June 22, 1924, in Augusta, Georgia.