Josiah T. Walls: Florida’s First Black United States Congressman

“Education. Speech of Honorable Josiah T. Walls, Of Florida. In The House Of Representatives.” Weekly Louisianian (New Orleans, Louisiana), February 22, 1872: 1. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.

Josiah T. Walls (Elected to the 42nd Congress, 1871–1873) became the first African American to represent Florida in the United States Congress. Walls and his supporters faced widespread political violence in North Florida to reach his Congressional victory.  This caption of his work speech speaks to his belief in a national educational fund. A decade later this would amount to the near passing of the Blair Educational Bill. Despite that, one of the most important areas of legislative focus for Representative Walls was education. This caption of his work speech speaks to his belief in a national educational fund. A decade later this would amount to the near passing of the Blair Educational Bill.