Henry P. Cheatham, Marker G-94
Posted by: drmellow
N 36° 17.946 W 078° 34.936
17S E 717098 N 4019836
Born into slavery. U.S. Congressman, 1889-1893. Superintendent of Colored Orphanage of N.C., 1907-1935. Grave 8/10 mi. N.E.
Waymark Code: WMYAM
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 11/11/2006
Views: 41
Text on marker:
Henry P. Cheatham
Born into slavery. U.S. Congressman, 1889-1893. Superintendent of Colored Orphanage of N.C., 1907-1935. Grave 8/10 mi. N.E.
This historical marker is located on NC 96 (Linden Avenue) at Eighth Street in Oxford. It was erected in 1976.
Wikipedia has an article on Henry P. Cheatham, from which the following is excerpted:
Born in slavery (but with a wealthy white father) in what is now Vance County, North Carolina, Cheatham attended public school and graduated from Shaw University in 1883. After working as a school principal, Cheatham served as the elected Register of Deeds for Vance County (1884-1888). In 1884, he married Louisa (or Louise) Cherry, who taught music at the school where Cheatham was principal. In 1888, Cheatham was narrowly elected to Congress over incumbent Furnifold M. Simmons (who would later lead the White Supremacy campaigns that disfranchised North Carolina blacks). During the campaign, Cheatham allegedly told black voters that Simmons and President Grover Cleveland would re-enslave them.
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