John Randall (politician)

This article is about the Louisiana politician. For other uses, see John Randall.

John Randall
Louisiana State Senate
In office 1868–1869
Personal details
Born	Virginia
Died	May 8, 1869
Political party	Republican

John Randall (died May 8, 1869) was a state legislator who served in the Louisiana State Senate during the Reconstruction era.[1]

Biography

Randall was a member of the 1868 Republican State Convention and was made a member of the State Central Committee representing Concordia Parish along with John S. Harris.[2]

He was unanimously nominated to stand to fill the senate seat left by John S. Harris who had resigned to move on to serve as a United States Senator for Louisiana.[3]

Randall, a Republican,[4] was elected to serve in the Louisiana State Senate and was sworn in on September 15, 1868.[5] Later the same week senator Blackman, a Democrat, called for John Randall to be removed and that the election be declared unconstitutional, null and void.[6]

He represented the district for the Concordia Parish and Avoyelles Parish.[1] He served on the Committee on Enrolment and on the Committee on Unfinished Business.[7]

He died at his home May 8, 1869 of a "congestive chill" and is buried at his home in Vidalia, Louisiana.[7][8] His death was noted on the second day of the 1870 session along with fellow senator Alexander R. François who had also died the same year.[7]

His obituary noted that he had been born enslaved and was an honest man who endeavoured to promote harmony between blacks and whites.[8]

See also

• African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era

References

1. Foner, Eric (1 August 1996). Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction. LSU Press. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-8071-2082-8. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
2. "Republican State Convention". New Orleans Republican. 3 May 1868. p. 8. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
3. "Candidate for State Senator - John Randall nominated". New Orleans Republican. 11 August 1868. p. 4. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
4. "John Randall, Republican, elected". New Orleans Republican. 15 September 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
5. "The Louisiana Legislature". The Times-Picayune. 15 September 1868. p. 1. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
6. "The Louisiana Legislature - Friday, Sept 18 1868". The Times-Picayune. 19 September 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
7. Jones, Howard J. (1978). "Biographical Sketches of Members of the 1868 Louisiana State Senate". Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association. 19 (1): 66, 74–75. ISSN 0024-6816. JSTOR 4231757. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
8. "Death of a Worthy Colored Citizen". The Times-Picayune. 19 May 1869. p. 7. Retrieved 30 October 2022.