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Sunday
Mar302008

Thomas Mundy Peterson Day

March 31 is Thomas Mundy Peterson Day in New Jersey, celebrated in honor of his being the first African-American to vote. 

After just one month of the 15th amendment, the right of every male citizen of the United States to vote, Thomas Person voted in Perth Amboy, NJ.  In 1884 the citizens of New Jersey presented Mr. Peterson with a voting metal to commemorate this historic event.  Also March 31st was established as a day to recognize the right of all people to vote and named after Thomas.

Later Thomas Mundy Peterson was also the first African-American to hold and elected office as well as server on a jury.

With all the problems in today's politics I hope people will take a moment to look back and remember the troubles that many people faced to be allowed the right to vote, not just in the United States with both suffrage and civil rights but going back to even the Magna Carta and further back, it has been a long road and we need not forget the travel.

Links
Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Mundy_Peterson

General
http://www.answers.com/topic/thomas-mundy-peterson
http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/volume4/september05/primsource.cfm
http://www.npl.org/Pages/ProgramsExhibits/Exhibits/aafirsts.html

Reader Comments (1)

[...] month of the 15th amendment, the right of every male citizen of the United States to vote, … credit : [...]

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