Leon Howard, ca. 1850 – ca. 1910

Very little is known about the life of Leon (or Leonard) Howard. When he unexpectedly defeated the two black candidates, Norris and Price, who had been persuaded to run as Democrats in the 1882 election, Memphis’s heavily Democratic newspapers (which had scarcely mentioned him during the campaign) patronizingly referred to Howard as “a very respectable representative of his race.”

Howard introduced several bills in the legislature. One, requested by Governor Bate, would create the position of Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction to oversee the education of African American students. Another was a bill to end racial discrimination on public transportation and facilities. A third bill legislated punishment for white men who raped black women. All Howard’s bills were tabled or defeated.