Evidences of Progress Among Colored People

by G. F. Richings

While studying law, he secured a clerkship in the Sixth Auditor's office of the U. S. Treasury, in which post he remained until 1875. In 1871 he was married in Detroit, Mich., to Miss Annie M. Carey, his present wife, with whom he now lives, having had no children born to them.

In 1875, he resigned his position in the Treasury Department, and went to South Carolina as Inspector of Customs, at Charleston.

In 1876, he resigned said post, and began the practice of his profession in the town of Orangeburg, S. C., and soon was recognized as a capable criminal lawyer by his white brethren at that bar, and the community in general. In the fall season of said year, he was elected to the General Assembly of that State, and took his seat in the famous House, well known as the Hampton-Mackey dual Legislature, by which Governor Chamberlain, the duly elected Governor of the State, was driven from his post. Mr. Straker was not long a member, because of his eviction with others, on account of his politics, he being one of the most prominent Republicans of the State. During this period Mr. Straker suffered much persecution at the hands of his political opponents, the Democrats, in this struggle. He returned to his constituents and was re-elected in 1878. He was again denied his seat. He was again elected in 1880, and again denied his seat, although on both occasions receiving larger majorities than his political opponents. The grounds of objection were that "he was not a citizen," although his naturalization papers were produced and the proof of his citizenship evident and conclusive.

In 1882 he was elected by the Trustees, Dean and Professor of Common Law in the University Law School of Allen University, Columbia, S. C., an incorporated institution of learning, under the auspices of the A. M. E. Church. In 1883, he presented a class of four colored youths to the Supreme Court of that State for examination for admission to practise law, the result of his sole instruction—the institution being too poor to hire a corps of law instructors. These colored youths, the first in the history of the State, were examined in open court, and having passed a most creditable examination, as told by the court in open session, were admitted to practice, and became members of the learned profession, and the peers under the law of those who, but less than a quarter of a century before, held them or their parents in slavery. In 1884, another class was presented by Mr. Straker, examined and admitted by the court. Mr. Straker, having now severed his connection with the law school, resumed the practice of his profession at Columbia, S. C. He won great distinction in the management as attorney for the defendant in the celebrated murder case of the State vs. Coleman, reported in 12th S. C., the defence being insanity, in which Mr. Straker was declared to have shown deep research in the law of the plea of transitoria mania.

The prejudice of the community keeping distinct all business between black and white of a professional character, Mr. Straker was unable to support himself and family by his profession in the South, and after giving the same a fair test, and spending fourteen years of his life in the endeavor to uplift his race in the South, was compelled to seek a new field. He came to Detroit, Mich., in 1887, bringing with him, from his white fellow-citizens, the highest testimonials of ability and character, who, while they disliked him politically, admired and recognized his legal ability. This, with his own natural energy and legal acumen, soon gave him distinction in his new home. He soon found himself in a fairly lucrative practice, and had for his clients a large number of whites, his own race being too poor to afford such. He distinguished himself as an advocate of ability, as was seen in his victory of the Civil Rights case of Ferguson vs. Gies, 82d Michigan, which decision settled the status of the colored citizen within Michigan, as to his right to accommodation in public places, equally with his white fellow-citizen. His legal argument in this case fully showed him a capable and learned attorney-at-law.

He rose at once to great distinction at the bar of Detroit, and his white brethren at the bar soon recognized him as a good lawyer, a gentleman in his manners, and a faithful advocate. This recognition was made manifest in his election in 1893, to the office of Circuit Court Commissioner for Wayne County, Michigan, a District at that time accredited with a Democratic majority of 4,000 voters; while Mr. Straker was an uncompromising Republican. Mr. Straker's opponents for this office were all white citizens. He was re-elected to same office in 1895, by a majority of over 7,000—his opponents again being all white citizens. He now holds said office, and is spoken of for a third term, which he is likely to obtain, if not deprived through the divisions of a few of his own race, who seem in many instances not content to see one of their own rise to distinction.

Mr. Straker is widely known throughout the United States, having lectured in many States, and attended wellnigh all of the principal conventions, held by his race, since emancipation. He is a contributor to the newspapers and magazines of his race, and also of some of the Anglo-Saxon.

He is an author, having written a book entitled, "The New South Investigated," which has received the widest commendation for its cleverness, impartiality and good taste. He has also written a unique law pamphlet, on the "Larceny of Dogs," showing conclusively that punishment for stealing dogs can only be by statute, dogs being at common law of no value. His pamphlet on "Reflections on the Life and Times of Toussaint-Louverture" is interesting and shows great race pride in the writer.

On December 14, 1895, at a Conference of Colored Men of the United States, held in the city of Detroit, Mich., Mr. Straker was chosen President of the National Federation of Colored Men of the United States of America; an organization established by said conference for the purpose of seeking a remedy, or putting an end to the barbarous practice of lynching colored men in the Southern States, for alleged offences, without trial by law. Already Mr. Straker has placed this organization in the confidence of his race and their white sympathizers, and much good is expected from the agitation created by it of the wrongs done the colored people in the South, both as to their civil, as well as their political rights.

T. McCANTS STEWART.