James E. O'Hara
Halifax County, Halifax County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
James E. O'hara 1844 1905. Black political leader. Member, U.S. House of Representatives, 1883-1887. Practiced law in Enfield. Lived 1/10 mi. S.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
James E. O'Hara (1844–1905) was an African American political leader who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1883 to 1887 and practiced law in nearby Enfield. He was among the last generation of Black congressmen from the South before disenfranchisement closed that door for decades. He lived a short distance to the south.
Why it matters
O'Hara's career marks both the promise of Black political power after the Civil War and the narrowing of that promise as Reconstruction's gains were rolled back.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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