James Henry Harris (ca. 1830-1891) Papers, PC.1319
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- James Henry Harris (ca. 1830-1891) Papers
- Call Number
- PC.1319
- Creator
- Unknown
- Date
- 1848-1890
- Repository
- State Archives of North Carolina
Collection Overview
Papers of James Henry Harris, African American Republican legislator (1868, 1872, 1883) and editor. Early items include an affidavit that Harris was a freeman (Granville Co., 1848), and his appointment as recruiting officer in Indiana for African American troops (1863-1864). Harris's postwar appointments include those as "Teacher of Freed People in N.C." (New England Freedmen's Aid Society, 1865), council member of Union League of America (1867), Raleigh city commissioner (1868), and agent with Albion W. Tourgee to solicit northern contributions for the destitute in North Carolina (1868). Correspondence includes letters from Union League President J. M. Edmunds (1867) enclosing North Carolina league charter and circulars (1864); from U.S. Sen. John Pool concerning organization of laborers under National Labor Council (1873); and from John C. Dancy of Tarboro about state and national Republican politics in 1878 and 1880. Also included is a letter of introduction for Harris from Charles Sumner for the charity Sumner represented to aid the destitute in North Carolina, written from the Senate Chamber, 31 May 1868. Also, a petition from Harris, as president of N.C. Equal Rights League, asking Congress to remove political disabilities of W. W. Holden (1867); character endorsement of Harris by 64 Raleigh business and civic leaders (1881); circulars from his congressional campaign (1878) discussing James E. O'Hara, whom Harris replaced on the ticket; and biographical sketch of Harris.