William J Simmons Collection

R. L. Perry, 1887. Creator: Unknown
R. L. Perry, 1887. African-American classical scholar, educator, journalist, newspaper editor and Baptist minister Rufus L

W. H. Steward, 1887. Creator: Unknown
W. H. Steward, 1887. African-American educator, journalist, civil rights activist William Henry Steward was president of the Afro-American Press Association

Rev. J. B. Fields, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Rev. J. B. Fields, 1887. African-American Baptist minister, clergyman, preacher and orator James B. Fields. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J. Simmons

W. Q. Atwood, 1887. Creator: Unknown
W. Q. Atwood, 1887. William Q. Atwood, African-American businessman and lumber baron; active in the Underground Railroad. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J

David Abner, Jr. 1887. Creator: Unknown
David Abner, Jr. 1887. Educator and journalist; first African American to graduate from a Texas school of higher education, professor of Bishop College in Texas

Charles L. Reason, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Charles L. Reason, 1887. African-American mathematician, linguist, and educator; the first black college professor in the United States

Alexander Clark, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Alexander Clark, 1887. African-American diplomat, businessman and activist; United States Ambassador to Liberia, co-owner and editor of The Conservator newspaper

I. M. Burgan, 1887. Creator: Unknown
I. M. Burgan, 1887. African-American minister and educator Isaac M. Burgan, principal of Paul Quinn College in Texas. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J

D. A. Payne, 1887. Creator: Unknown
D. A. Payne, 1887. Reverend Daniel Alexander Payne, educator, clergyman and author; bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the founders of Wilberforce University in Ohio

John Jasper, 1887. Creator: Unknown
John Jasper, 1887. African-American minister, activist and public speaker. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J. Simmons

E. P. M'Cabe, John R. Lynch, T. M'Cants Stewart, C. H. Parrish, 1887. Creator: Unknown
E. P. M'Cabe, John R. Lynch, T. M'Cants Stewart, C. H. Parrish, 1887. Prominent African-Americans. Settler, attorney and land agent Edward P. McCabe

P. H. A. Braxton, 1887. Creator: Unknown
P. H. A. Braxton, 1887. African-American preacher and politician Patrick Henry Alexander Braxton was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Baltimore

J. P. Campbell, 1887. Creator: Unknown
J. P. Campbell, 1887. Jabez Pitt Campbell, African-American minister, activist, philanthropist and bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

B. T. Washington, 1887. Creator: Unknown
B. T. Washington, 1887. African-American man, probably not Booker T. Washington. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J. Simmons

J. J. Irvine, 1887. Creator: Unknown
J. J. Irvine, 1887. Engineer, farmer and politician John J. Irvine was a noted leader of a movement to establish an African-American colony in the Western United States

B. T. Tanner, 1887. Creator: Unknown
B. T. Tanner, 1887. African-American clergyman and editor Benjamin Tucker Tanner founded The Christian Recorder newsaper, and was a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church

J. C. Mathews, 1887. Creator: Unknown
J. C. Mathews, 1887. African-American attorney and judge James Campbell Matthews was the first black law school graduate in New York

James Lewis, 1887. Creator: Unknown
James Lewis, 1887. African-American soldier and politician, born enslaved. His father was a white planter. Lewis worked on steamboats on the Mississippi

N. H. Bouey, 1887. Creator: Unknown
N. H. Bouey, 1887. Harrison N. Bouey, African-American minister, teacher, journalist and missionary. Bouey was involved in efforts to help black Americans emigrate to Africa

J. J. Spelman, 1887. Creator: Unknown
J. J. Spelman, 1887. African-American journalist, politician, stage performer and manager James J. Spelman. During the American Civil War

E. W. Blyden, 1887. Creator: Unknown
E. W. Blyden, 1887. Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician Edward Wilmot Blyden was born in the Danish West Indies to free black parents who claimed descent from the Igbo people of

E. M. Brawley, 1887. Creator: Unknown
E. M. Brawley, 1887. Educator and minister Rev. Edward Macknight Brawley, the first African American to attend Bucknell University. Served as president at Selma University

John W. Cromwell, 1887. Creator: Unknown
John W. Cromwell, 1887. John Wesley Cromwell, African-American lawyer, teacher, civil servant, journalist, historian, and civil rights activist

B. W. Arnett, 1887. Creator: Unknown
B. W. Arnett, 1887. Benjamin William Arnett, African-American educator, minister and bishop. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J. Simmons

John H. Smythe, 1887. Creator: Unknown
John H. Smythe, 1887. African-American diplomat, politician and educator, US ambassador to Liberia. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J. Simmons

H. M. Turner, 1887. Creator: Unknown
H. M. Turner, 1887. Henry McNeal Turner, African-American minister and politician, bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

T. T. Fortune, 1887. Creator: Unknown
T. T. Fortune, 1887. Timothy Thomas Fortune, African-American orator, civil rights leader, journalist, writer, editor, economist and publisher

P. B. S. Pinchback, 1887. Creator: Unknown
P. B. S. Pinchback, 1887. Publisher, politician, and Union Army officer Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback was the second African American to serve as governor and lieutenant governor of a U.S

J. C. Price, 1887. Creator: Unknown
J. C. Price, 1887. African-American founder, orator and educator Joseph Charles Price was the first president of Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina

D. A. Straker, 1887. Creator: Unknown
D. A. Straker, 1887. Barbados-born politician, teacher and lawyer D. Augustus Straker was the first black lawyer to appear before the Michigan Supreme Court

Ira Aldridge as "Othello", 1887. Creator: Unknown. Ira Aldridge as "Othello", 1887
Ira Aldridge as "Othello", 1887. Black British Shakespearean actor and playwright Ira Frederick Aldridge was the the manager of the Theatre Royal in Coventry

Harvey Johnson, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Harvey Johnson, 1887. African-American pastor and civil rights activist. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J. Simmons

J. F. Boulden, W. T. Dixon, C. C. Vaughn, M. Campbell, 1887. Creator: Unknown
J. F. Boulden, W. T. Dixon, C. C. Vaughn, M. Campbell, 1887. Prominent African-Americans. Baptist pastor and politician Jesse Freeman Boulden served in the Mississippi House of Representatives

C. B. Purvis, 1887. Creator: Unknown
C. B. Purvis, 1887. African-American doctor Charles Burleigh Purvis was the first black physician to treat a sitting president when he attended James Garfield after he was shot by an assassin in

M. W. Gibbs, 1887. Creator: Unknown
M. W. Gibbs, 1887. Mifflin Wistar Gibbs was an American-Canadian politician, businessman, and advocate of rights for African-Americans

G. W. Gayles, H. N. Jeter, Daniel Jones, J. T. White, 1887. Creator: Unknown
G. W. Gayles, H. N. Jeter, Daniel Jones, J. T. White, 1887. Prominent African-Americans. Baptist minister and state legislator George Washington Gayles

George W. Williams, 1887. Creator: Unknown
George W. Williams, 1887. George Washington Williams, African-American Baptist minister, politician, lawyer, journalist, and writer, served as a soldier in the American Civil War and in Mexico

R. Allen, 1887. Creator: Unknown
R. Allen, 1887. African-American bishop, educator and writer Richard Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the first independent Black denomination in the United States

J. A. Arneaux, 1887. Creator: Unknown
J. A. Arneaux, 1887. African-American Shakespearean actor, journalist and civil rights activist John A. Arneaux was editor

Inman E. Page, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Inman E. Page, 1887. African-American Baptist minister and educator, one of the two first black students at Brown University

W. R. Pettiford, 1887. Creator: Unknown
W. R. Pettiford, 1887. African-American banker and minister William R. Pettiford founded the Alabama Penny Savings Bank. From "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" by William J

Chas. L. Purce, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Chas. L. Purce, 1887. African-American Baptist church leader and educator Charles L. Purce was president of Selma University and Simmons College of Kentucky

Augustus Tolton, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Augustus Tolton, 1887. John Augustus Tolton was the first Catholic priest in the United States publicly known to be black. He was declared Venerable by Pope Francis in June 2019

F. L. Cardoza, John S. Leary, John O. Crosby, E. S. Porter, 1887. Creator: Unknown
F. L. Cardoza [sic], John S. Leary, John O. Crosby, E. S. Porter, 1887. Prominent African-Americans. Clergyman and politician Francis Lewis Cardozo was elected Secretary of State in South Carolina

Justin Holland, 1887. Creator: Unknown
Justin Holland, 1887. African-American classical guitarist, music teacher, performer, composer and arranger. He also worked on the Underground Railroad to help enslaved black people escape to

N. H. Ensley, 1887. Creator: Unknown
N. H. Ensley, 1887. Newell Houston Ensley, African-American Baptist minister and civil rights activist; professor at Shaw University, Howard University, and Alcorn University

R. T. Greener, 1887. Creator: Unknown
R. T. Greener, 1887. Scholar, philosopher, professor, diplomat and attorney Richard Theodore Greener was the first African American to graduate from Harvard College

John Mitchell, Jr. 1887. Creator: Unknown
John Mitchell, Jr. 1887. African American businessman, newspaper editor, civil rights activist, and politician: founded and served as president of the Mechanics Savings Bank; editor of the Richmond

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

William J. Simmons was a prominent figure in American history, known for his role as the founder of the second Ku Klux Klan in 1915. Born in Alabama in 1880, Simmons was a former Methodist preacher who sought to revive the KKK as a white supremacist organization. Simmons believed that America needed to be "purified" by upholding white Protestant values and opposing immigration, Catholicism, and African Americans. Under his leadership, the KKK grew rapidly in membership and influence, spreading fear and violence throughout the country. Despite facing criticism and legal challenges, Simmons remained dedicated to his cause until his death in 1945. His legacy continues to be controversial, with some viewing him as a hero defending traditional American values while others see him as a symbol of hate and bigotry. Regardless of one's opinion on William J. Simmons, it is undeniable that he played a significant role in shaping American society during a tumultuous period of racial tension and social upheaval.