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Reflections in Black: John Mercer Langston

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John Mercer Langston was born in 1829 to an emancipated mother and slave-owner father. He became the fifth African-American graduate from Oberlin College. He later became the first black elected official in Ohio, helped runaway slaves escape north via the Underground Railroad, and was appointed U.S. Minister to Haiti by president Rutherford B. Hays. This is his story.

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Timothy Dennis is KUAF's strategic technical planner and producer for Ozarks at Large.
Reflections in Black is a weekly segment on Ozarks at Large, hosted by Raven Cook. Reflections in Black is dedicated to exploring the legacy of Black Americans, both in the United States and around the globe, by providing resources for understanding and hope for all people.