Peter Lester

Peter Lester was an American-born 19th-century businessman and abolitionist. He was an early Black settler in San Francisco. In February 1860, he was the first Black person to sit as a juror in British Columbia.

Early life Peter Lester was born in South Carolina, U.S. Although some sources state he was born in Virginia, U.S.. His childhood was spent in Philadelphia. In Gibbs's autobiography, "Shadow and Light" (1902), he mentions that, while living in San Francisco, he and Lester were successful in business but dealt with community ostracization and physical assaults. In February 1860, he was the first Black person to sit as a juror in British Columbia. During his return, he was in his 80s and used a wheelchair.

He died sometime around in San Francisco. The Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria erected an honorary gravestone for Lester in 2002.