Blanche Scott

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Lore & Background

Senator from Mississippi between 1875 and 1881. It details his birth in Prince Edward County, Virginia, his education at Oberlin College, and his work as a steamboat porter before moving to Hannibal, Missouri, in 1864. The document describes his rise to wealth as a landowner in the Mississippi Delta and his various elected county offices, including sheriff of Bolivar County. It explicitly states that Bruce was the second African American to serve in the U.S. Senate and the first to complete a full term. There is no mention of a person named Blanche Scott, nor any connection between the name 'Scott' and the historical events described.

In Their Own Story

On February 14, 1879, Blanche Kelso Bruce made history by presiding over the U.S. Senate, becoming the first African American and the only former slave to hold that position. The source notes that in 1880, at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, he received eight votes for vice president, marking the first time an African American won votes for a national office at a major party's nominating convention. His political career continued after his Senate term ended; President James A. Garfield appointed him Register of the Treasury in 1881, making him the first African American to have his signature on U.S. paper currency. Later, under Presidents Benjamin Harrison and William McKinley, he served as Recorder of Deeds for Washington D.C. from 1890 to 1893 and again as Register of the Treasury starting in 1897 until his death from diabetes complications in 1898.

Reader's Guide

To understand the historical figure described in the source, one must look to Blanche Kelso Bruce, not a fictional 'Blanche Scott.' Born into slavery in 1841 to a domestic slave mother and a white planter father, Bruce gained his freedom either through legal arrangement or by fleeing to Kansas during the Civil War. His journey led him from Oberlin College to the Mississippi Delta, where he purchased thousands of acres of land. He navigated Reconstruction politics with skill, serving as a state senate sergeant-at-arms before his federal election. For those seeking accurate history, it is crucial to note that Bruce married Josephine Beall Willson in 1878; their son was named Roscoe Conkling Bruce after his father's mentor. The source emphasizes Bruce's pride in his identity, quoting him as saying, "I am a Negro and proud of it," rejecting the term 'colored men.'

Did You Know?

• Blanche Kelso Bruce was the second African American to serve in the U.S. Senate (after Hiram R. Revels) and the first to complete a full term.
• Bruce served as President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate starting in March 1879, not February 14, 1879.
• He was the only former slave to serve a full term as a U.S. Senator; his predecessor, Hiram R. Revels, did not complete a full term.
• In 1880, Bruce became the first African American to win votes for a national office at a major party's nominating convention, receiving eight votes for vice president.
• As Register of the Treasury under President Garfield in 1881, he was the first African American to have his signature featured on U.S. paper currency.

From Slavery to Senatorial Leadership

Blanche Kelso Bruce was born into slavery on March 1, 1841, in Prince Edward County, Virginia. His father was his master, Pettis Perkinson, a white planter who treated him comparatively well and educated him alongside a legitimate half-brother. While one source suggests he was legally freed to learn a trade, Bruce stated in an 1886 interview that he gained freedom by moving to Kansas when the Civil War began. He attended Oberlin College for two years before working as a steamboat porter on the Mississippi River. In 1864, he moved to Hannibal, Missouri, establishing a school for black children. By 1868, he had relocated to Bolivar, Mississippi, purchasing a plantation and becoming a wealthy landowner with several thousand acres. He held various county positions, including registrar of voters, tax assessor, sheriff, and tax collector, before being elected to the U.S. Senate in February 1874.

Economic Power and Political Influence

Beyond his legislative role, Bruce was a significant economic figure in the Mississippi Delta. After his Senate term ended in 1881, he remained in Washington D.C., securing Republican patronage jobs. He acquired a large townhouse and summer home, presiding over black high society. In 1880, at the Chicago convention, he received eight votes for vice president. His administrative career included serving as Register of the Treasury starting in 1881, where his signature appeared on currency. From 1890 to 1893, he served as Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia, though claims of a $30,000 annual salary are unsubstantiated by primary records. He also sat on the Board of Trustees of Public Schools from 1892 to 1895. In 1897, President William McKinley reappointed him as Register of the Treasury, a role he held until his death.

Personal Life and Social Identity

On June 24, 1878, Bruce married Josephine Beall Willson, a fair-skinned socialite from Cleveland, Ohio. The wedding received great publicity, followed by a four-month European honeymoon. Their only child, Roscoe Conkling Bruce, was born in 1879 and named after Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York, Bruce's mentor. Bruce lived with his family in Washington D.C., where they were part of the city's black high society. Regarding his racial identity, a newspaper reported that Bruce did not approve of the designation 'colored men,' often stating, 'I am a Negro and proud of it.' This declaration highlighted his confidence and distinct stance during an era of widespread segregation.

Enduring Legacy and Historical Recognition

Following his death in 1898, Bruce received immediate recognition. In July 1898, the District of Columbia named a new school on Marshall Street the 'Bruce School.' In 1975, his residence was declared a National Historic Landmark and named The Blanche K. Bruce House. The U.S. Senate commissioned a portrait in October 1999; artist Simmie Knox painted it based on a Mathew Brady photograph, unveiling it in the Capitol in 2001. He is listed in Molefi Kete Asante's book '100 Greatest African Americans' (2002). On March 1, 2006, a historical highway marker was unveiled near his birthplace in Prince Edward County, Virginia. Lawrence Otis Graham also authored the book 'The True Story of America's First Black Dynasty: The Senator and the Socialite' about him in June 2006.