Dunn, Oscar James

Dunn, Oscar James, c.1825–71, African-American politician, lieutenant governor of Louisiana (1868–71), b. New Orleans. A former slave, he fought for the Union and joined the Republican party (1863). Active in politics and social welfare societies during Reconstruction, Dunn worked with the Universal Suffrage Association and the Freedmen's Bureau and was appointed to the New Orleans city council (1867). In 1868 Dunn was elected lieutenant governor, becoming the first black lieutenant governor in the United States, serving until his death.

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