African Americans

African Americans were among the first residents of Ohio. Most of these people were free, but undoubtedly, a small number of them were slaves. Ohio's first constitution, the Ohio Constitution of 1803, outlawed slavery. Despite this legal protection, African Americans faced much racism and discrimination in the state. The state constitutional convention prohibited African-American men from voting. Black men and women could not serve in the militia, serve on juries, testify in court against whites, receive assistance at the "poor house," vote, or send their children to public schools. Many whites actively sought to prevent blacks from coming to Ohio, fearing a loss of jobs to African-American workers. Many white Ohioans were also racists. Despite the discrimination that African Americans endured, many black Ohioans favored life in Ohio rather than living as slaves in the South.

Over time, conditions for African Americans improved in Ohio. During the nineteenth century, many whites actively assisted slaves in escaping from their owners along the Underground Railroad. Many of these same whites called for the Ohio government to extend equal rights to African Americans. During the twentieth century, especially during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the Civil Rights Movement raged, with both blacks and many whites seeking equality for people of all races. While people still debate whether or not Americans of all races enjoy true equality with each other, it remains indisputable that dramatic improvements have occurred in both the United States of America and in Ohio over the past two centuries since Ohio's statehood.

For additional information on this topic, please browse these entries at your leisure.

There are 346 entries matching this topic. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

(Last Name Unknown), Lewis: Lewis was an escaped slave who sought freedom in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
(Last Name Unknown), Poindexter: Poindexter was a slave owned by a Mr. Anderson in Kentucky. In 1854, Judge S.F. Norris in the Clermont County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas awarded Poindexter his freedom. . . .
(Last Name Unknown), Watkins: Watkins was a free African-American man who was accused of being a runaway slave in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Abolitionists: Abolitionists were people who sought to end the institution of slavery. . . .
African Americans: Numerous African Americans have resided in Ohio. Today, African-American Ohioans continue to enhance Ohio's cultural and social landscape. . . .
African Methodist Episcopal Church: Richard Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816. Allen and his followers broke away from the Methodist Church because they believed that white Methodists were interfering with the practice of their religion. . . .
African Union Baptist Church (Cincinnati, Ohio): The African Union Baptist Church, originally known as the First African Baptist Church and now known as the Union Baptist Church, was the first African-American church in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Allen, Richard: Richard Allen was the principal founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was born on February 14, 1760, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Born a slave, Allen purchased his freedom from his master in 1785. . . .
Alma College: Alma College and its successor, Franklin College, were important educational institutions in Ohio during the nineteenth century. . . .
American Anti-Slavery Society: The American Anti-Slavery Society was one of the most prominent abolitionist organizations in the United States of America during the early nineteenth century. . . .
American Civil War: The American Civil War is one of the greatest conflicts in American history. . . .
American Colonization Society: Formed in 1817, the American Colonization Society was one of the first organizations in the country to work for the end of slavery. . . .
Anderson (Erie County), Elijah: Elijah Anderson was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Erie County, Ohio. . . .
Anderson (Gallia County), Elijah: Elijah Anderson was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Gallia County, Ohio. . . .
Anderson, Charles: Ohio governor Charles Anderson was born near Louisville, Kentucky, on June 1, 1814. His father, Colonel Richard Clough Anderson, had fought in the American Revolution, serving as aide-de-camp to the Marquis de Lafayette. . . .
Anti-Slavery Sewing Society: Elizabeth Coleman and Sarah Ernst organized African-American women into the Anti-Slavery Sewing Society in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Appleby, Calvin W.: Calvin W. Appleby was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Conneaut, Ohio. . . .
Ashley, James: James Ashley was a prominent political and business leader in Northwest Ohio in the mid-nineteenth century, . . .
Austin, Elsie: Elsie Austin was an attorney and the first African American woman to receive a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. . . .
Bailey, Gamaliel: Gamaliel Bailey was a physician and an editor of anti-slavery newspapers in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Baldwin-Wallace College: Originally named Baldwin College, this institution of higher learning was founded in 1845 by John Baldwin. The college is located in Berea, Ohio. . . .
Barnes, Jacob: Jacob Barnes was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Mahoning County, Ohio. . . .
Barnett Cemetery: The Barnett Cemetery is principally an African-American cemetery in Pike County, Ohio. . . .
Battle of Antietam: The Battle of Antietam was the climax of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion of the North. . . .
Battle of Lumbarton: In 1857, the Battle of Lumbarton occurred between federal marshals, who were enforcing the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, and anti-slavery Ohioans. . . .
Beecher, Henry W.: Henry Ward Beecher was a political and social reformer and a prominent clergyman in nineteenth century America. . . .
Beecher, Lyman: Lyman Beecher was a prominent theologian, educator and reformer in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Benedict, Aaron: Aaron Benedict was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Alum Creek. Ohio. . . .
Benton, Lyman: Lyman Benton was a politician and abolitionist in Geauga County, Ohio. . . .
Berlin Crossroads, Ohio: Established in Ohio during the early nineteenth century, Berlin Crossroads was a predominantly African-American community. . . .
Birney, James: James Birney was an abolitionist, an opponent of slavery, in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Black and White Schoolhouse: The Black and White Schoolhouse was one of the earliest desegregated schools in Ohio. . . .
Black Fork Settlement, Ohio: Established in Ohio during the early nineteenth century, the Black Fork Settlement was a predominantly African-American community. . . .
Black Laws of 1807: The Ohio legislature passed a series of laws in 1807 to discourage African American migration to the state. . . .
Black String Band: The "Black String Band" was an organization created to protect abolitionist John Brown while he was planning his raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. . . .
Blackwell, Kenneth: Kenneth Blackwell has been a prominent African American educator, political leader and elected official in Ohio in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. . . .
Bleeding Kansas: Bleeding Kansas was a mini civil war between pro- and anti-slavery forces that occurred in Kansas from 1856 to 1865. . . .
Bowles, John R.: John R. Bowles was chaplain of the 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War and, perhaps, was the first African-American public school teacher in Ohio. . . .
Brown Jr., Elias: Ohioan Elias Brown, Jr., was a free African American who was almost tricked into becoming a slave. . . .
Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954): Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was one of the more important court cases in the history of civil rights in the United States. . . .
Brown, Christopher: Christopher Brown assisted runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad in Ohio. . . .
Brown, George: George Brown was a free African-American man who was accused of being a runaway slave in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Brown, Hallie Q.: Hallie Quinn Brown was an African-American author, educator, and equal rights advocate during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Brown, John: John Brown's obsession with ending slavery eventually led him to violence and his eventual death. . . .
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands: The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was to provide displaced persons of the South, including both whites and blacks, with assistance at the end of the American Civil War. . . .
Burnet, Jacob: Jacob Burnet was a political leader in Ohio in the first half of the nineteenth century. . . .
Burrell, Almond H.: Almond Hervey Burrell was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Ohio. . . .
Bushnell, Asa: Asa Smith Bushnell was the fortieth governor of Ohio. He was born in Rome, New York, in 1834. . . .
Busing: Busing of schoolchildren for the purpose of achieving racial integration was used by several Ohio school systems in the late twentieth century. . . .
Campbell, Alexander: Alexander Campbell was a physician, political leader and elected official in the early years of Ohio statehood. . . .
Carruthers, George N.: Ohioan George North Carruthers was a missionary during the American Civil War. He helped African Americans in the South to gain their freedom from slavery and to begin their lives as free people. . . .
Carthagena, Ohio: Carthagena was a predominantly African American community in Mercer County, Ohio. . . .
Central State University: In 1856, the Methodist Episcopal Church established Wilberforce University near Xenia, Ohio, to provide African Americans access to a college education. The university was the first private, historically black college formed in the United States. . . .
Cheadle, Rial: Rial Cheadle was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Morgan County, Ohio. . . .
Chenault, Marcus: On June 30, 1974, Marcus Chenault, a twenty-one year old, African-American man from Ohio, murdered Alberta Williams King. . . .
Chesnutt, Charles W.: Charles Waddell Chesnutt was an African American writer born on June 20, 1858, in Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Cincinnati Buckeyes: The Cincinnati Buckeyes was a professional African-American baseball team that played its home games in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team played in the Negro American League. . . .
Cincinnati Civil Disorders (2001): Beginning in early April, several incidents of civil disorder took place in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2001. . . .
Cincinnati Clowns: The Cincinnati Clowns was a professional African-American baseball team in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team played in the Negro American League. Established in 1942, the Cincinnati Clowns was originally known as the Cincinnati Buckeyes. . . .
Cincinnati Cuban Stars: The Cincinnati Cuban Stars was a professional African-American baseball team in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team played in the Negro National League. . . .
Cincinnati Tigers: The Cincinnati Tigers was a professional African-American baseball team in Cincinnati, Ohio. William DeHart Hubbard founded the team in 1934. In 1937, the Cincinnati Tigers joined the Negro American League. . . .
Civil Rights Movement: Since the end of the American Civil War, African Americans have struggled to achieve equality. In 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution ended slavery in the United States. . . .
Clay, Henry: Henry Clay was an important political leader and public servant in nineteenth century America. . . .
Clearview Golf Course: William Powell is the first African American to design and construct a professional golf course. In 1946, he began construction on the Clearview Golf Course in East Canton, Ohio. . . .
Cleveland Bears: The Cleveland Bears was a professional African American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland Browns Baseball Team: The Cleveland Browns was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland Civil Disorders (1966 - 1968): In the mid 1960s, Cleveland, Ohio was the scene of several nationally prominent civil disturbances that were racially charged. . . .
Cleveland Cubs: The Cleveland Cubs was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland Elites: The Cleveland Elites was a professional African American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland Giants: The Cleveland Giants was a professional African American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland Pipers: In 1961, Abe Saperstein, Paul Cohen, George Steinbrenner and others attempted to form a new professional basketball league to rival the National Basketball Association (NBA). . . .
Cleveland Red Sox: The Cleveland Red Sox was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland Stars: The Cleveland Tate Stars was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland Tate Stars: The Cleveland Tate Stars was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland was the first settlement founded in the Connecticut Western Reserve by the Connecticut Land Company. It was named after General Moses Cleaveland, an investor in the company who led the survey of its land within the Western Reserve. . . .
Clifford, Carrie W.: Carrie Williams Clifford was an African-American author and equal rights advocate during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Coffin, Levi: Coffin was born on October 28, 1798, in North Carolina. He was a member of the Society of Friends. Due to his religious beliefs, he became a strong opponent of African-American slavery. . . .
Coleman, Michael B.: Michael B. Coleman is the Mayor of Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Columbus Bluebirds: The Columbus Bluebirds was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Columbus Buckeyes (Negro National League): The Columbus Buckeyes was a professional African American baseball team. . . .
Columbus Elite Giants: The Columbus Elite Giants was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Columbus Turfs: The Columbus Turfs was a professional African-American baseball team. . . .
Compromise of 1850: The Compromise of 1850 was one of several attempts by both the North and the South to settle differences over slavery's expansion. . . .
Congress of Racial Equality (CORE): Founded in 1942, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) promoted the use of nonviolent tactics to help African Americans secure equal rights with whites. . . .
Corning War: The "Corning War" illustrates the racial tensions that existed in southeastern Ohio during the late nineteenth century. . . .
Corning, Ohio: Corning is a small community in Perry County, Ohio. . . .
Cowles, Betsy M.: Betsey Mix Cowles is known for her contributions to education and the women's rights movement in Ohio. She was also quite active in the struggle to abolish slavery. . . .
Cox, Samuel S.: Samuel S. Cox was a prominent nineteenth century Ohio journalist and political leader. . . .
Craig-Jones, Ellen W.: Ellen Walker Craig-Jones was an African American political figure and civic leader in twentieth century central Ohio. She was born on June 5, 1906, in Franklin County, Ohio. . . .
Cutler, Ephraim: Ephraim Cutler was an early Ohio political leader and educator. . . .
Dandridge, Dorothy: American actress Dorothy Dandridge was born on November 9, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio. She began singing and dancing, for audiences at the age of five. When Dandridge was nine years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. . . .
Davids, Tice: In 1831, Tice Davids, a runaway slave, fled from his owner in Kentucky. Davids swam across the Ohio River with his owner in close pursuit in a boat. Davids reached the Ohio shore at the town of Ripley just a few minutes before his owner, but the owner could not find his slave. . . .
Davis, Hiram: Hiram Davis was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Gallia County, Ohio. . . .
Davis, Richard L.: African-American Richard L. Davis was a prominent labor organizer during the late nineteenth century. . . .
Dayton Marcos: The Dayton Marcos was a professional African American baseball team. . . .
Deaver, Affadilla: Affadilla Deaver was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Morgan County, Ohio. . . .
Demint, Fanny: Fanny Demint was a former slave of Thomas Worthington, who, upon gaining her freedom, followed Worthington to Ohio. . . .
Dillingham, Richard: Ohioan Richard Willingham was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. . . .
Ditcher, Jim: Jim Ditcher was a free African American. During the 1850s and 1860s, he lived in Ironton, Ohio, where he assisted runaway slaves in gaining their freedom. . . .
Doby, Larry: Larry Doby was a prominent American baseball player. He was born Lawrence Eugene Doby in Camden, South Carolina, on December 13, 1923. . . .
Domestic Workers of America: In 1965, Geraldine Roberts, a resident of Cleveland, began organizing African-American women who worked as domestic servants. . . .
Douglas, Stephen: United States Senator and Presidential candidate Stephen Douglas was born on April 23, 1813, in Brandon, Vermont. His father trained him to be a cabinetmaker, but Douglas wanted to become an attorney. . . .
Dred Scott v. Sandford: The court case Dred Scott v. Sandford fueled tensions between the North and the South that eventually led to the American Civil War. . . .
Dunbar, Paul L.: Paul Laurence Dunbar was an important American poet. . . .
Dupree, William H.: Ohioan William H. Dupree served in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War and, following this conflict, became actively involved in securing equal rights for blacks with whites. . . .
Early, Sarah W.: Ohioan Sarah Woodson Early was an African-American woman who was active in the Temperance Movement. . . .
Ebersole, Jacob: Jacob Ebersole was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Clermont County, Ohio. . . .
Eden Baptist Church: The Eden Baptist Church was principally an African-American church in Pike County, Ohio. . . .
Edmonds, Helen G.: Helen Gray Edmonds was the first African-American woman to earn a doctoral degree from The Ohio State University. . . .
Edward, Hannah, and Susan (Fugitive Slaves): Edward, Hannah, and Susan were three slaves who became embroiled in a court case in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Eisenhower, Dwight D.: Dwight David Eisenhower was the thirty-fourth President of the United States. . . .
Emancipation Proclamation: During the American Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation made slavery's demise one of the North's principal war aims. . . .
Eugene: Eugene was an unusual tourist attraction in Sabina, Ohio from 1929 to 1963. . . .
Fifteenth Amendment: As the American Civil War ended, the federal government was undecided as to how the seceded Confederate states were to return to the Union. President Abraham Lincoln favored a lenient policy and hoped to reunify the country quickly. . . .
First Anti-slavery Baptist Church (Chillicothe, Ohio): The First Regular African Baptist Church of Christ of Chillicothe, the predecessor of the First Anti-slavery Baptist Church and of the First Baptist Church, was an African-American church established in Chillicothe, Ohio in 1824. . . .
First Baptist Church (Chillicothe, Ohio): The First Regular African Baptist Church of Christ of Chillicothe, the predecessor of the First Anti-slavery Baptist Church and of the First Baptist Church, was an African-American church established in Chillicothe, Ohio in 1824. . . .
First Presbyterian Church of West Union: The First Presbyterian Church is the oldest church building in Ohio that, as of this writing, is still used as a house of worship. . . .
First Regular African Baptist Church of Christ of Chillicothe: The First Regular African Baptist Church of Christ of Chillicothe, the predecessor of the First Anti-slavery Baptist Church and of the First Baptist Church, was an African-American church established in Chillicothe, Ohio in 1824. . . .
Flemming, Arthur S.: Arthur S. Flemming was Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare during the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was a 1927 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. . . .
Follis, Charles W.: Charles W. Follis was the first African American to receive pay as a professional football player. He was born on February 3, 1879, in Cloverdale, Virginia. In 1901, he enrolled at the College of Wooster. . . .
Ford, Seabury: Seabury Ford was the twentieth governor of Ohio. . . .
Fossett, Peter: Peter Fossett was a former slave of President Thomas Jefferson, who, upon gaining his freedom, moved to Ohio. . . .
Fossett, Sarah M.: Sarah Mayrant Fossett was an important advocate for African-American rights in Cincinnati, Ohio during the nineteenth century. . . .
Fourteenth Amendment: The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees people of all races equal protection under the law. . . .
Fowler, Chauncey: Chauncey Fowler was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Mahoning County, Ohio. . . .
Fox, Mamie E.: Mamie Eloise Fox was an African-American poetess during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Franklin College (New Athens): Alma College and its successor, Franklin College, were important educational institutions in Ohio during the nineteenth century. . . .
Franklin Museum of New Athens, Inc.: The Franklin Museum of New Athens, Inc., is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of Franklin College. . . .
Free Soil Party: The Free Soil Party ran its first candidate for President of the United States in 1848. The party was formed after the Liberty Party came to an end following its poor showing in the election of 1844. . . .
Freedmen's Bureau: The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was to provide displaced persons of the South, including both whites and blacks, with assistance at the end of the American Civil War. . . .
Freedom Summer: Freedom Summer was an important event in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. . . .
Fugitive Slave Law of 1850: The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was part of the Compromise of 1850. This law required the United States government to actively assist slave owners in recapturing their runaway slaves. . . .
Fusion Party: The Fusion Party was the original name for the Republican Party in Ohio. The Fusion Party was formed in 1854. . . .
Future Outlook League: John O. Holly formed the Future Outlook League in 1935 to help African Americans find jobs in Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Gage, Frances D.: Frances Dana Gage was an influential participant in the abolitionist, temperance and women's rights movements in Ohio in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Gant, Nelson T.: Nelson Gant was a former slave and conductor on the Underground Railroad. . . .
Garfield, James A.: James Abram Garfield was the twentieth President of the United States. . . .
Garner, Margaret: Margaret Garner was a slave woman with a national reputation in the years before the American Civil War. In January 1856, she fled with her husband and four children (some sources say that she had six children) from her owner in Kentucky. . . .
Garrison, William L.: William Lloyd Garrison was a prominent American advocate of the abolition of the institution of slavery. . . .
Gee, John: John Gee moved to Gallipolis, Ohio, as a young man. He eventually became one of the community's largest landowners. . . .
Geneva College: During the mid nineteenth century, Geneva College was an institution of higher education in Northwood, Ohio. . . .
Genius of Universal Emancipation: Benjamin Lundy founded the newspaper The Genius of Universal Emancipation in 1821. Lundy was a member of the Society of Friends and one of the leading anti-slavery advocates in Ohio during the first half of the nineteenth century. . . .
Giddings, Joshua R.: Joshua Reed Giddings was an abolitionist. He spent most of his life in Ohio and represented the state in the United States House of Representatives. . . .
Gist Settlements: The Gist Settlements were African-American communities that former slaves of Samuel Gist established in Ohio during the early nineteenth century. . . .
Gist, Samuel: Samuel Gist was a resident of Great Britain and Virginia. In his will, Gist freed all slaves that he owned in Virginia. Many of these newly freed people moved to Ohio, hoping to live a better life. . . .
Glenville Shootout: The "Glenville shootout" was one of a series of racially-charged riots that occurred in Cleveland, Ohio during the 1960s. . . .
Glenville, Ohio: Glenville, Ohio is a neighborhood area of Cleveland. It is located to the northeast of Cleveland. Historically, this neighborhood has been home to various ethnic groups. . . .
Graham, John: Ohioan John Graham was an important social reformer during the first part of the nineteenth century. . . .
Grant, Ulysses S.: Ulysses Simpson Grant was an American military leader and the eighteenth President of the United States. He was born Hiram Ulysses Grant on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio. . . .
Gray, Thomas L.: Thomas L. Gray was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Morgan County, Ohio. . . .
Great Depression: The Great Depression took place after the Stock Market Crash in October 1929. During the late 1920s, the stock market in the United States boomed. Many Americans began to purchase stock, and the value of stocks dramatically increased in value. . . .
Great Migration: The Great Migration began in the 1910s and continued through World War II in the1940s. During this thirty year time period, hundreds of thousands of African Americans moved from the South to the North. . . .
Green, John: Elisha Young was a runaway slave from Kentucky, who settled in Morrow County, Ohio. . . .
Green, John P.: John Patterson Green introduced the legislation that established Labor Day in Ohio. He was born in 1845 in New Bern, North Carolina, to free African-American parents. . . .
Green, Shields: Shields Green, sometimes reported as Greene, was an African-American man. He participated in John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry in October 1859. . . .
Gyser, John: John Gyser was an African-American Ohioan who purportedly assisted slave catchers in returning fugitive slaves to their owners. . . .
Hamilton County: Hamilton County, Ohio, was established on January 2, 1790.. It was the second county formed in the Northwest Territory. Residents named the county in honor of Alexander Hamilton, who was the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States and a founder of the Federalist Party. . . .
Hanby, Benjamin: Benjamin Hanby was a minister, abolitionist and American musician in mid-nineteenth century Ohio. He was born in 1833 in Rushville, Ohio. In 1847, his father, William Hanby, helped establish Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. He moved his family to Westerville in 1853. . . .
Hanna, Marcus A.: Marcus Alonzo Hanna was a prominent politician and United States Senator from Ohio during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Harvey, Elizabeth B.: Elizabeth Burgess Harvey was a Quaker and an abolitionist in Warren County, Ohio during the 1830s and 1840s. Along with her husband, Jesse Harvey, Elizabeth was also responsible for founding the community of Harveysburg, Ohio. . . .
Harvey, Jesse: Jesse Harvey was an abolitionist in Warren County, Ohio during the 1830s and 1840s. He was responsible for founding the community of Harveysburg, Ohio. . . .
Hayes, Rutherford B.: President Rutherford Birchard Hayes was born in Delaware, Ohio, on October 4, 1822. His parents had moved to Ohio from Vermont in 1817. . . .
Henry, Robert C.: In 1966, Robert C. Henry became the first African American to serve as mayor of a city (Springfield) in the State of Ohio and in the United States of America. . . .
Hicks Settlement: Established in Ohio during the early nineteenth century, the Hicks Settlement, which eventually became known as the Stillguest Settlement, was a predominantly African-American community. . . .
Hill, Katherine: Katherine Hill created the T. Marzetti Company's Original Slaw Dressing and remained a vital employee of the firm for nearly seventy years. . . .
Hill, Leverett B.: Leverett B. Hill was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Huron County, Ohio. . . .
Hoadly, George: George Hoadly was the thirty-sixth Governor of Ohio. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 31, 1826. . . .
Hough Riots: In Cleveland, Ohio in June 1966, a series of racially-charged riots occurred in the Hough neighborhood. . . .
Howard, Edward: Edward Howard was a runaway slave from Virginia, who sought freedom in Canada. . . .
Hubbard House: The home of William Hubbard was a stop on the Underground Railroad in Ohio in the years before the American Civil War. Around 1840, William Hubbard built a house in Ashtabula, Ohio. . . .
Hubbard, William: William Hubbard was an abolitionist and operator of a stop on the Underground Railroad in the years before the American Civil War. He was born in 1787. . . .
Hubbard, William D.: William DeHart Hubbard was the first African American to win a gold medal in an individual competition in the Olympic Games. He was born on November 25, 1903, in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Huber, Charles B.: Charles B. Huber was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Clermont County, Ohio. . . .
Hunt, Ann M.: Ann Mary Jane (Dunlap) Hunt was a former slave in Kentucky, who settled, first, in Ohio and, then, in Canada. . . .
Huston Hollow, Ohio: Established in Scioto County, Ohio in 1830, Huston Hollow was a predominantly African-American community. . . .
Hutton, Massey: Massey Hutton was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Atwater, Ohio. . . .
Hyde, Udney H.: Udney Hyde was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. . . .
Indianapolis-Cincinnati Clowns: The Indianapolis-Cincinnati Clowns was a professional African-American baseball team that played its home games in both Cincinnati, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. . . .
International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor: The International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor is a fraternal society for African Americans. . . .
Issacs, Tucker: Tucker Isaacs assisted runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad in Ohio. . . .
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry: In 1859, abolitionist John Brown was responsible for one of the most important events that led to the American Civil War. . . .
John P. Parker House: The John P. Parker House was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. It is located in Ripley, Ohio, and the home currently is a museum owned by the John P. Parker Historical Society. . . .
Johnston, John B.: During the mid nineteenth century, John Black Johnston was a prominent minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America in Ohio. . . .
Jones v. Van Zandt: The United States Supreme Court case Jones v. Van Zandt pitted a Kentucky slaveowner against an Ohio abolitionist, who had assisted nine slaves in search of their freedom. . . .
Jones, Frederick M.: On May 17, 1893, Frederick McKinley Jones was an African American inventor with a large number of U.S. patents. He was born on May 17, 1893 in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Juneteenth: During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation declared that slavery would end in any area still in rebellion against the United States on January 1, 1863. Lincoln hoped that Southerners would rejoin the United States before the deadline to keep their slaves. . . .
Kansas-Nebraska Act: The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854 by the United States Congress to deal with the opening of the central Midwest to continuing American settlement. . . .
Kennedy, John F.: John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the thirty-fifth President of the United States. He was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. . . .
Kent State Normal College: The Ohio General Assembly approved the charter for Kent State Normal School in 1910. During the Progressive era, reformers were placing increasing emphasis on education. . . .
Kent State University: The Ohio General Assembly approved the charter for Kent State Normal School in 1910. During the Progressive era, reformers were placing increasing emphasis on education. . . .
Kilbourne, James: James Kilbourne was the founder of Worthington, Ohio and a surveyor, merchant and political leader in the early years of Ohio statehood. . . .
King, Alexander: Alexander King was an abolitionist in Ashtabula County, Ohio and assisted John Brown in planning his attack on the federal arsenal located in Harper's Ferry, Virginia (modern-day West Virginia). . . .
Ku Klux Klan: During the late 1860s, some Southern veterans of the defeated Confederacy created the Ku Klux Klan. This organization's original goal was to deny African Americans the same rights and opportunities as white people in the South. . . .
Lambert Lands: The Lambert Lands were named for the Lambert brothers, two men who owned slaves in Virginia. The Lamberts purchased 265 acres of land in Morgan Township in Gallia County, Ohio. . . .
Lane Theological Seminary: Lane Theological Seminary was founded in Cincinnati in 1830. The seminary was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Between 1832 and 1850, Reverend Lyman Beecher served as the head of the school. . . .
Langston, John M.: John Mercer Langston was the first African-American man to pass Ohio's bar exam. He also was an outspoken advocate of equal rights for African Americans with whites. . . .
Leary, Lewis S.: Lewis Sheridan Leary was an African-American man who participated in John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry in October 1859. . . .
Liberty Party: Abolitionists formed the Liberty Party during the 1830s. In the early 1800's, the American anti-slavery Society was a major abolitionist organization in the United States. In 1839, the Society split. . . .
Lincoln, Abraham: Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth President of the United States. . . .
Long, Ohio: Long, Ohio (sometimes called Longtown, Ohio) was a predominantly African American community in Darke County, Ohio. . . .
Longtown, Ohio: Long, Ohio (sometimes called Longtown, Ohio) was a predominantly African American community in Darke County, Ohio. . . .
Lundy, Benjamin: Benjamin Lundy was an abolitionist opponent of slavery in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church: The Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church was probably the first African-American church established in Ohio. . . .
Mahan, Asa: Asa Mahan was an educator, reformer and the first President of Oberlin College. . . .
Manifest Destiny: In 1845, John L. O'Sullivan, a newspaper reporter in New York City, coined the phrase "manifest destiny." O'Sullivan claimed that it was the God-given destiny of the United States of America to spread over North America. . . .
McClain, William: During the nineteenth century, William McClain was a ship captain on the Ohio River. . . .
McIntyre, Natalie: Natalie McIntyre, better known as Macy Gray, is an American actress, musician and singer. . . .
McLean, John: John McLean was a an attorney, political leader and Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. . . .
McQuerry, George W.: George Washington McQuerry was an escaped slave from Kentucky, who sought his freedom in Ohio. . . .
Methodist Church: The Methodist Church is a Christian religious organization. The Methodist Church began in 1729, at the University of Oxford in England. A group of students met to study Christian religious subjects. They followed a very methodical approach to celebrate their faith, and critics referred to them as Methodists as a result. . . .
Methodist Episcopal Church: The Methodist Church is a Christian religious organization. The Methodist Church originated in 1729, at the University of Oxford in England. A group of students met to study Christian religious subjects. They followed a very methodical manner to celebrate their faith, and critics referred to them as Methodists as a result. . . .
Mexican War: The Mexican War was a major conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. . . .
Miami University: Miami University is one of the oldest and best-known universities in the State of Ohio. . . .
Mills Brothers: The Mills Brothers was an African-American vocal group that formed during the 1920s. . . .
Missouri Compromise: The Missouri Compromise of 1820 maintained the balance among states favoring and opposed to slavery in the Congress of the United States. . . .
Mitchell, Sophia: Sophia Mitchell was the first African-American woman to serve as a mayor in Ohio. . . .
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909. . . .
National Bowling Association: The National Negro Bowling Association (NNBA), the predecessor of the National Bowling Association, formed on August 20, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. . . .
National Negro Bowling Association: The National Negro Bowling Association (NNBA) formed on August 20, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. . . .
Nichols, Eli: Eli Nichols was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in New Castle, Ohio. . . .
Oberlin College: In 1832, Presbyterian minister John L. Shipherd began planning to establish an institution of higher education in Oberlin, Ohio. The school opened in December 1833 and became known as Oberlin College. . . .
Oberlin, Ohio: John Shipherd, a Presbyterian minister, and Philo Stewart founded Oberlin, Ohio, in 1833. The town was named after Reverend John Frederic Oberlin, a famous minister in Alsace who had died in 1826. . . .
Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Case: The Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Case of 1858 showed how divided Ohio had become over the issue of slavery. . . .
Ohio: Ohio is the seventeenth state within the United States of America. . . .
Ohio Anti-Slavery Society: Abolitionists established the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society in Zanesville at a meeting held in April 1835. Among the organizations founders were prominent abolitionists like Asa Mahan, John Rankin, Theodore Dwight Weld, and Charles Finney. . . .
Ohio Civil Rights Act of 1959: To help eliminate racial discrimination in Ohio, the Ohio General Assembly enacted the Ohio Civil Rights Act of 1959. . . .
Ohio Civil Rights Commission: To help eliminate racial discrimination in Ohio, the Ohio General Assembly created the Ohio Civil Rights Commission in 1959. . . .
Ohio Civil Rights Law of 1894: The Ohio Civil Rights Law of 1894 was an early effort by the Ohio government to eliminate racial discrimination in Ohio. . . .
Ohio Constitution of 1803: The Ohio Constitution of 1803 was Ohio's first state constitution. . . .
Ohio Constitution of 1803 (Transcript): Transcript of Ohio's original constitution, drafted in 1802 and approved by Congress in 1803 . . .
Ohio Constitution of 1851: By 1850, many Ohioans believed that the time had come to replace the Constitution of 1802. New issues had arisen that the drafters of the first constitution had not foreseen. . . .
Ohio Constitution of 1874: In 1871, some Ohio government officials felt the need to redraft Ohio's state constitution. The constitution currently in effect was the Constitution of 1851. During the twenty years since this document's ratification, the United States had experienced great change. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1802: The Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1802 drafted Ohio's first state constitution. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1850-1851: By 1850, many Ohioans believed that the time had come to replace the Constitution of 1803. New issues had arisen that the drafters of the first constitution had not foreseen. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1873 - 1874: In 1871, some Ohio government officials felt the need to redraft Ohio's state constitution. The constitution currently in effect was the Constitution of 1851. During the twenty years since this document's ratification, the United States had experienced great change. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1912: In the early twentieth century, many Ohioans believed that the current state constitution was outdated. Progressives were attempting to rid politics of corruption and inefficiency, and many reformers believed that the government should do more to protect its citizens and the nation's moral values in an era of rapid change caused by industrialization, immigration, and urbanization. As a result, in 1910 Ohio voters approved the creation of a new constitutional convention. . . .
Ohio Fair Housing Act of 1965: To help end discrimination in Ohio housing, in 1965, the General Assembly enacted Fair Housing Act. . . .
Ohio Mechanics Institute: Founded in 1828, the Ohio Mechanics Institute sought to assist Ohio's skilled workers with the state's rapidly industrializing economy. . . .
Ohio Public Accommodations Law of 1884: The Ohio Public Accommodations Law of 1884 was an early effort by the Ohio government to eliminate racial discrimination in Ohio. . . .
Ohio Woman Suffrage Association: The Ohio Woman Suffrage Association was an early woman's suffragist group in Ohio. . . .
Old Tavern: The Old Tavern is the oldest surviving tavern in Ohio. . . .
Osborn, Charles: Charles Osborn was a journalist and outspoken opponent of slavery in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Otterbein College: The Church of the United Brethren in Christ founded Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, in 1847. The college was originally known as the Otterbein University of Ohio and received its charter from the state in 1849. . . .
Owens, Jesse: Jesse Owens was one of America's greatest participants in track and field athletic competition. He won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic games. . . .
Paige, Leroy: Leroy "Satchel" Paige played professional baseball for four decades and is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. . . .
Parker, Hortense: Hortense Parker was the daughter of John Parker, an abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Railroad. She was born in Ripley, Ohio, in 1859. . . .
Parker, John P.: John Parker was an active participant in the Underground Railroad in Ohio and helped runaway slaves escape to freedom in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Patterson, Isaac: Isaac Patterson was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Northwood, Ohio. . . .
Payne Theological Seminary: In 1844, Payne Theological Seminary opened in Wilberforce, Ohio. This institution was and remains affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. . . .
Paynes Crossing, Ohio: During much of the nineteenth century, Paynes Crossing, Ohio was a predominantly African-American community on the border of Perry County and Hocking County. . . .
Pee Pee Settlement: Established in Ohio during the late eighteenth century, the Pee Pee Settlement was a predominantly African-American community. . . .
Penick v. Columbus Board of Education: The federal court case, Penick v. Columbus Board of Education, led to the desegregation of Columbus, Ohio's public schools. . . .
Pickrell, Henry: Henry Pickrell was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Logan County, Ohio. . . .
Pine Street Colored Cemetery: The Pine Street Colored Cemetery was a cemetery for the African-American residents of Gallipolis, Ohio. African Americans in Gallipolis were prohibited from using the other cemeteries in the town. . . .
Poke Patch Settlement: Established in Ohio during the early nineteenth century, the Poke Patch Settlement was a predominantly African-American community. . . .
Pollard, Frederick D.: Frederick Douglass Pollard was a prominent college and professional football player and coach in the first half of the twentieth century. . . .
Pomeroy, Alanson: Alanson Pomeroy was a politician, a businessman, and a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. . . .
Powell Sr., Adam C.: Adam Clayton Powell, Sr., was an important African-American clergyman in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Powell, William: William Powell was the first African American to design and construct a professional golf course. In 1946, he began construction of the Clearview Golf Course in East Canton, Ohio. . . .
Presbyterian Church: The Presbyterian Church is a Protestant Christian religious denomination that was founded in the 1500s. Control of the Church is divided between the clergy and the congregants. Many of the religious movements that originated during the Protestant Reformation were more democratic in organization. . . .
Preston, Roberta: Roberta Preston was the first African-American woman to serve as a postmaster in Ohio and in the United States of America. . . .
Price, John: John Price, a runaway slave, became the center of the Oberlin Wellington Rescue Case of 1858. . . .
Pride of Ohio Tabernacle, No. 384: The International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor eventually had a presence in Ohio. In 1888, some African Americans in Ironton, Ohio formed a chapter, the second such group in Ohio. They called their group "Pride of Ohio Tabernacle, No. 384." . . .
Pugh, Achilles: Achilles Pugh was the founder of the A.H. Pugh Printing Company, a publishing firm located in Cincinnati. Pugh's company began publishing James Birney's abolitionist newspaper The Philanthropist in April 1836. . . .
Putnam Greys: The Putnam Greys was a volunteer military unit in Putnam, Ohio during the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s. . . .
Quakers: The Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quakers, came to Ohio in the late 1700s and the early 1800s. The first Quaker to arrive in Ohio was George Harlan in 1795. By 1800, approximately eight hundred Quaker families were living in Ohio. . . .
Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Chillicothe, Ohio): The Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church was an African-American church established in Chillicothe, Ohio in 1821. . . .
Radical Republicans: The Republican Party began in 1854 as a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This legislation split Whig Party members along regional lines. Former Northern Whigs united with members of the Free Soil Party and the American Party to create the Republican Party. . . .
Randolph, John: John Randolph was an early American political leader, long time member of Congress and a United States ambassador to Russia. . . .
Rankin House: The Rankin House was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. It is located in Ripley, Ohio, and the home currently is a museum owned by the Ohio Historical Society. . . .
Rankin, John: John Rankin was a Presbyterian minister and a prominent member of the Underground Railroad network that assisted runaway slaves in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Reconstruction: Reconstruction is a name often given to the era immediately following the American Civil War. After the Northern states had defeated the Confederacy, the Union government developed policies to reconstruct the nation. . . .
Reed v. Rhodes: The federal district court decision in the case of Reed v. Rhodes in 1976 led to the desegregation of the public schools of Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Rend, William P.: William P. Rend was a prominent businessman in Ohio during the late nineteenth century. . . .
Rendville, Ohio: Rendville is a small community in Perry County, Ohio. . . .
Reynolds, Emma A.: Emma Ann Reynolds was the first African-American woman admitted to the Medical College of Chicago at Northwestern University. . . .
Rickey, Branch: Branch Rickey was a prominent player, coach and manager of collegiate and professional baseball in America. . . .
Rider's Inn: Located in Painesville, Ohio, Rider's Inn was a stop on the Underground Railroad. . . .
Roberts, Geraldine: Geraldine Roberts, a Cleveland, Ohio resident, began organizing African-American women working as domestic servants in 1965. . . .
Runaway Slaves: Before the American Civil War, a large number of runaway slaves passed through Ohio. One of the major reasons runaway slaves came to Ohio was the Underground Railroad. . . .
Segregation: Segregation was the practice of requiring separate public and private facilities for whites and blacks. While segregation was much more pervasive in the South after the American Civil War, African Americans still had much to overcome in the North. . . .
Sessions, Lucy: Lucy Sessions was the first African-American woman to receive a college degree. Little is known about her early life. . . .
Sims, Marcus: Marcus Sims, a free African American, was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Clermont County, Ohio. . . .
Sleet, Will: Will Sleet, a free African American, was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Clermont County, Ohio. . . .
Sloane, Rush: Rush Sloane was an important nineteenth century northern Ohio political and business leader. . . .
Smith Act: In 1896, Harry Smith, an African-American state legislator from Cleveland, and Albion Tourgee, a white supporter of white and black equality, introduced an anti-lynching bill in the Ohio General Assembly. . . .
Smith, Adam: Adam Smith was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Meigs County, Ohio. . . .
Smith, Harry C.: Harry C. Smith was an African American journalist, publisher and legislator from Cleveland, Ohio in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. . . .
Society of Friends: The Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quakers, came to Ohio in the late 1700s and the early 1800s. . . .
South Charleston, Ohio Confrontation: In 1835, pro-slavery advocates in South Charleston, Ohio threatened abolitionists with bodily harm at an anti-slavery rally. . . .
Springfield, Ohio, Racial Conflicts: In March 1904, an African-American man killed a white police officer in Springfield, Ohio. After local police arrested the murderer, a mob formed and marched to the jail. . . .
Steedman, James: James Steedman was an Ohio political and military leader in nineteenth century America. . . .
Stewart, Charles: Charles Stewart was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Trumbull County, Ohio. . . .
Stillguest Settlement: Established in Ohio during the early nineteenth century, the Hicks Settlement, which eventually became known as the Stillguest Settlement, was a predominantly African-American community. . . .
Stokes, Carl B.: Carl Burton Stokes was a political leader and public official from Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Stokes, Louis: Louis Stokes is a political leader and elected official from Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Stone, Lucy: Lucy Stone was a prominent leader of the woman's rights movement in nineteenth century America. . . .
Stowe, Harriet B.: Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American author and abolitionist in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Sutliff, Levi: Levi Sutliff was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Trumbull County, Ohio. . . .
Swayne, Noah H.: Noah Swayne was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court in nineteenth century America. . . .
Swayne, Wager: Wager Swayne was a military leader from Ohio during the American Civil War. . . .
Tallentire, John R.: John Rubie Tallentire was a Methodist minister and also a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Ashland, Ohio. . . .
Tappan, Arthur and Lewis: Arthur and Lewis Tappan were successful businessmen and early leaders of the movement to abolish slavery in America. . . .
Television: In the 1950s, the new medium of television reached millions of Americans for the first time. Some television programs provided entertainment, while others presented current news. . . .
The Philanthropist: The Philanthropist was an anti-slavery newspaper first published in Mount Pleasant, Ohio, in September 1817. Its first editor was Charles Osborn. . . .
Thirteenth Amendment: The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution formally ended slavery in the United States of America. . . .
Thomas, Nathan M.: Nathan M. Thomas was a physician and abolitionist who spent his youth in Ohio. . . .
Toledo Crawfords: The Toledo Crawfords was a professional African American baseball team. . . .
Toledo Tigers: The Toledo Tigers was a professional African American baseball team. . . .
Trimble, Allen: Allen Trimble served as governor of Ohio during the first portion of the nineteenth century. . . .
Trotter, James M.: James Monroe Trotter served in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War and, following this conflict, became the first African American to find employment in the Boston, Massachusetts division of the United States Post Office. . . .
Truth, Sojourner: Sojourner Truth was born in 1797, in a Dutch community in the State of New York. She was born a slave. Her original name was Isabella Baumfree. . . .
Tuppins, Isaiah: Isaiah Tuppins was the first African American to serve as a mayor in Ohio. He also was the first black man to earn his medical degree in Ohio. . . .
Uncle Tom's Cabin: During the early 1850s, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. Stowe became an abolitionist during the 1830s when she lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Underground Railroad: The Underground Railroad was a system of safe houses and hiding places that helped runaway slaves escape to freedom in Canada, Mexico, and elsewhere outside of the United States. . . .
Union Baptist Church (Cincinnati, Ohio): The African Union Baptist Church, originally known as the First African Baptist Church and now known as the Union Baptist Church, was the first African-American church in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Union Humane Society: In 1815, Benjamin Lundy established the first society west of the Appalachian Mountains dedicated to the abolition of slavery. It was known as the Union Humane Society and was located in St. Clairsville, Ohio. . . .
United Freedom Movement: The United Freedom Movement, as well as other Civil Rights organizations, actively protested school segregation in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1960s and 1970s. . . .
United States Colored Troops: On May 22, 1863, the United States government authorized the formation of the United States Colored Troops (USCT). As the American Civil War continued, the government sought African-American soldiers to assist in the war effort. . . .
Upper Sandusky, Ohio: Upper Sandusky had its beginnings as a village of the Wyandot Indians. . . .
Van Zandt, John: John Van Zandt was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Hamilton County, Ohio. . . .
Wade, Benjamin F.: Benjamin Franklin Wade was a political leader from Ohio and a Radical Republican in the Reconstruction years after the American Civil War. . . .
Wadsworth Hotel: The Wadsworth Hotel played an important role in the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Case. . . .
Walker, William O.: Dr. William O. Walker was a prominent journalist, publisher and political leader in Cleveland, Ohio for much of the mid to late twentieth century. . . .
Walnut Street United Methodist Church (Chillicothe, Ohio): The Walnut Street United Methodist Church was one of the earliest churches in Chillicothe, Ohio. . . .
Ward Transfer Line: The Ward Transfer Line is the oldest, continuously-operating African-American business in the United States. William S. Ward founded the business in 1881 as a moving company. . . .
Waverly, Ohio: Waverly is the county seat of Pike County, Ohio. . . .
Webb, Lucy W.: Lucy Ware Webb was an advocate for the abolition of slavery and the rights of women in nineteenth century America. She was the wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes. . . .
Weld, Theodore D.: Theodore Dwight Weld was a prominent nineteenth century American reformer and educator. . . .
Wesleyan Church of America: In 1843, some members of the Methodist Episcopal Church left to establish the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the predecessor of the Wesleyan Church of America. . . .
Wesleyan Methodist Church: In 1843, some members of the Methodist Episcopal Church left to establish the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The principal reason for this separation was the strong opposition to slavery and wide support for women's rights among the people who came to call themselves Wesleyan Methodists. . . .
Western Reserve College: Western Reserve College opened in 1826. It was the first institution of higher education in what had been the Connecticut Western Reserve in northeast Ohio. Western Reserve College was closely affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. . . .
White, Addison: Addison White was an slave from Kentucky who escaped to Ohio in 1856. . . .
White, Jackie: Jackie White, a former resident of Cleveland, Ohio, was the first African American to work as a referee at a National Basketball Association (NBA) game. . . .
Wilberforce: Wilberforce was an African American community in Canada founded by people from southern Ohio. . . .
Wilberforce University: In 1856, the Methodist Episcopal Church established Wilberforce University near Xenia, Ohio, to provide African American access to a college education. The university was the first private black college in the United States. . . .
William Pierson Bowling Alley: William Pierson opened of the first African-American owned and operated bowling alley in the United States in 1940.The bowling alley was located in Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Williams, George W.: George Washington Williams was the first African American elected to the Ohio General Assembly. . . .
Willis, William K.: William (Bill) Karnet Willis was the first African American to play in the All-America Football Conference. . . .
Wilmot Proviso: The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal to prohibit slavery in the territory acquired by the United States at the conclusion of the Mexican War. . . .
Wilson, Robert: Robert Wilson was a conductor on the Underground Railroad near Loudonville, Ohio. . . .
Wofford, Chloe A.: Toni Morrison is a noted author and educator and the first African American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. . . .
Woodruff, Amos: Amos Woodruff was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Hinckley, Ohio. . . .
Woods, Granville T.: Granville T. Woods was an African-American inventor and was born on April 23, 1856, in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Worthington, Ohio: James Kilbourne established Worthington in 1804. . . .
Worthington, Thomas: Thomas Worthington was an early Midwestern political leader and the sixth governor of Ohio. . . .