Page:The Afro-American Press.djvu/228

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220
THE AFRO-AMERICAN PRESS.

and was assigned to the duty of organizing schools in all parts of Georgia for the colored children. He encountered many dangers in the prosecution of the duties pertaining to this office.

In the spring of 1869 Mr. White was appointed assistant assessor in the Internal Revenue service by Captain Edwin Belcher, the first Afro-American assessor appointed by President Grant. When the assessors' and collectors' offices were united by a change in the law, Mr. White was appointed by Col. Isham S. Farnin deputy collector, with headquarters at the collector's office, a position that gave him charge of all revenue matters connected with distilleries and tobacco factories. For three years he had charge of a large division, with headquarters at Milledgeville, Ga. He served under Col. Farnin, Col. E. C. Wade and Col. W. H. Johnson, as deputy collector, and resigned voluntarily, January 1st, 1880. He has taken an active part in public affairs and has been closely identified with the Republican party ever since the war.

The Afro-Americans of Georgia have, during the last ten years, held conventions that were intended solely for the advancement of their interests in state affairs. The first of these met at Macon, Ga., the second at Atlanta, and the third at Macon. These conventions have been productive of much good to the Afro-Americans of Georgia. Mr. White was president of them all. The last convention met January 25, 1888, and among other things of importance done was the organization of the Union Brotherhood for the unifying of the Afro-American voters of Georgia for better state government. He is president of this organization.

He was chosen by the Republicans of his state as delegate from the state at large to the last National Republican Convention, and was the only delegate-at-large from Georgia that went over to Benjamin Harrison before his nomination.