Today in History - In 1870, Thomas Mundy Peterson becomes the first black man to vote in America!

So on March 31, 1870 ....

Thomas Mundy Peterson (October 6, 1824 – February 4, 1904) of Perth Amboy, New Jersey was the first African-Americanto vote in an election under the just-enacted provisions of the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution. His vote was cast on March 31, 1870. From Wikipedia

Peterson also became the first black man to hold an elected office.  His father was Thomas Peterson. His mother's name was Lucy Green. The former came from free parents, but the latter's parents had been slaves in Gov. Newell's family; in Monmouth County. When Thomas was four years old, his father moved to Perth Amboy. On Feb. 10, 1844, Peterson was married to Daphne Reeve whose family had been slaves on the Bell estate in Perth Amboy. Later in life, he earned a job as school custodian, the elementary school is now named after him. (Sources: The 15th Amendment Black Suffrage: Thomas Mundy Peterson, first Negro voter in the United States)

An interview with Peterson showed who encouraged him to vote, "I was working for Mr. T. L. Kearny on the morning of the day of election, and did not think of voting until he came out to the stable where I was attending to the horses and advised me to go to the polls and exercise a citizen's privilege.” Peterson also revealed his vote in this election, “As I advanced to the polls one man offered me a ticket bearing the words "revised charter" and another one marked, "no charter." I thought I would not vote to give up our charter after holding it so long: so I chose a revised charter ballot.”

From Wikipedia:

[caption id="attachment_116" align="aligncenter" width="241"] The medallion awarded to Thomas Mundy Peterson by the citizens of Perth Amboy in 1884. From Wikipedia[/caption]

To honor Thomas Mundy Peterson as the first African-American voter after the passage of the 15th Amendment, the citizens of Perth Amboy raised $70 (over $1,000 in 2010 dollars) to award him with a gold medallion. The full medallion consists of a gold bar from which a two inch diameter medallion was hung. The hanging medallion featured a profile bust of a clean-shaven Abraham Lincoln. It was presented to Thomas Mundy Peterson on Memorial Day, which was then called Decoration Day, May 30, 1884.[6] He is said to have loved the medal and never considered himself properly dressed without it affixed to his left breast.[7] Later in life financial instability forced Peterson to sometimes pawn the medallion. It is currently housed at the historically African-American Xavier University of Louisiana. Full Biography