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1872 - 1873

Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback, the 24th Governor of Louisiana and the first governor in the nation of African descent, died in 1921.  He is buried in the family tomb in Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans. 

This bronze sculpture stands in the State Capitol building remarkably adjacent to the statue of Henry Watkins Allen. 

The plaque on the sculpture pedestal has this engraving:

The Honorable P. B. S. Pinchback
Governor State of Louisiana
1872
Presented by
The Baton Rouge Chapter of the Louisiana League of Good Government
July 30, 1976

Pinchback was a state senator when, in 1871 Lt. Governor Oscar Dunn, a physician and also of African descent, died of pneumonia.

The senate elected Pinchback to the position of Lt. Governor.

Governor Henry Clay Warmoth was  impeached at the end of his term in 1872.

Pinchback became acting Governor after Governor Warmoth was required  to step down until convicted of impeachment or until cleared of the charges.  As a result Governor Pinchback was in office for 36 days.

He was integral to the founding of Southern University.  He became an attorney, practicing law in Washington, D. C. until his death in 1921.  He was buried in this family tomb in Metairie Cemetery.  Metairie Cemetery was previously reserved only for whites.

Eliza Stewart
Mother of P. B. S. Pinchback
1814 - 1884

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