Henry Eppes
Henry Eppes | |
|---|---|
| Member of the North Carolina Senate | |
| In office 1868–1900 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 16, 1830 Halifax County, North Carolina, US |
| Died | February 6, 1903 (aged 72) Halifax County, North Carolina, US |
| Resting place | Halifax County, North Carolina, US |
| Occupation | Minister, brick mason and plasterer |
Henry Eppes (September 16, 1830 or 1831 – February 6, 1903) was a seven-term Republican senator in the North Carolina General Assembly between 1868 and 1900. He was one of about 111 African Americans to serve in North Carolina's state legislature between 1868 and 1900 and one of the few who served during and after reconstruction. Because of Jim Crow Laws, no African American followed Eppes in the North Carolina legislature until 1968 when civil rights were restored. Eppes also served as a delegate for Halifax County to North Carolina's 1868 Constitutional Convention.