Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Virginia Republican Party Flyer
Ms.2008.058
0.1 Cubic Feet
1 folder
1921
The Virginia Republican Party Flyer lists the African American Republican candidates for Virginia elected offices in 1921 and includes Maggie L. Walker, the first American female bank president, as the candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction and John Mitchell, Jr., the editor of the Richmond Planet, as the candidate for Governor.
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
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Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Virginia Republican Party Flyer, Ms2008-058, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
The Virginia Republican Party Flyer was purchased by Special Collections.
Existence and Location of Copies
The collection has been digitized and is available online.
Processing Information
The processing and description of the Virginia Republican Party Flyer occurred in August 2008.
Biographical Note
The
Lily Black Republican ticket of 1921 was in response to the all white (Lily White) ticket put forward by the Republican party of Virginia. Neither Republican ticket won in 1921, as the Democratic party swept the elections. Although several names appear on the Lily Black Republican ticket, biographical information exists only for Maggie L. Walker, John Mitchell, Jr., and Joseph Thomas ( J.T. ) Newsome. Maggie Lena Mitchell was born on July 15, 1867 in Richmond, Virginia, and married Armstead Walker, Jr. in 1886. At age fourteen Maggie joined the local chapter of the Independent Order of St. Luke, a fraternal burial society. Eventually, Maggie achieved the title of Right Worthy Grand Secretary in 1899, created
The St. Luke Herald in 1902, and founded the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903-thus making her the first woman to charter a bank in the United States. Maggie also devoted time to promoting African American women's rights. This civic concern eventually expressed itself in an unsuccessful bid for the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1921. Maggie Lena Walker died on December 15, 1934. John Mitchell, Jr. was born July 11, 1863. Mitchell was the editor of the
Richmond Planet, a paper that exposed racial injustice, and the President of the National Afro-American Press Association. Elected to Richmond's Board of Alderman from Jackson Ward in 1892, Mitchell eventually made an unsuccessful bid for the governor's office in 1921. Mitchell also founded, and was president of, the Mechanics Savings Bank which fell into legal trouble and was eventually rechartered by the state in July, 1924. Due to the bank's failure, Mitchell lost his assets and eventually died on December 3, 1929. Joseph Thomas ( J.T. ) Newsome was born on June 2, 1869 in Sussex County, Virginia, to Joseph and Anne Newsome. After attending Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute in Petersburg, Newsome received his law degree from Howard University in 1898. Newsome married Mary Beatrice Winfield and moved to Newport News where he became a successful lawyer, the editor of the
Newport News Star, a public speaker, and a politician. In 1921 Newsome unsuccessfully ran for state attorney general and the first congressional district seat. Joseph Thomas Newsom died on March 9, 1942. See also "A Ballot of Significance: A Virginia Republican Party Ticket from 1921", an October 28, 2020 blog post, by archivist Marc Brodsky on the Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives blog.
Scope and Content
The Virginia Republican Party Flyer is a list, titled
The Republican Ticket and printed on newsprint, of the so-called Lily Black Republican ticket of 1921 (an African American offshoot of the Republican party). Sought-after offices include Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Attorney-General, Treasurer, Secretary of Commonwealth, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Corporation Commissioner, and Commissioner of Agriculture. Maggie L. Walker of Richmond, Virginia, an African American philanthropist and the first American female bank president, is listed as the Republican candidate for the Superintendent of Public Instruction. John Mitchell, Jr. of Richmond Virginia, the editor of the Richmond Planet, is listed as the Republican candidate for Governor.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Virginia Republican Party Flyer, Ms2008-058 by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
African Americans -- History
Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
Politicians -- United States
Women -- History
Flyer19211