Peter Anderson (c. 1822-1879) was an African American rights activist who actively participated in California Colored Conventions Movements during the 1800s. Anderson was also the author of a newspaper called The Pacific Appeal which advocated black rights and helped activists network. Anderson and his coeditor Philip Alexander Bell argued often and eventually these disagreements led Bell to split off and create his own paper called The Elevator while Peterson continued with The Pacific Appeal.[1]
Birth and early Life
editThere is little historical record of Peter Anderson's early life. What is known is that he was born in Pennsylvania in about 1822 and moved to California as the Gold Rush ended. He began engaging in the African American community specifically the California Colored Citizens Conventions after starting a tailor shop in 1854 before dying in 1879.[1]
Activism
editPeter Anderson along with other African American activists such as J. H. Townsend, W. H. Newby and D. W. Ruggles signed a call to assemble for a convention.[2] The purpose of the convention was to find a way to get their inherent rights and privileges as citizens of California. It was the first of several conventions to happen. Peter Anderson was also the founder of a Newspaper called The Pacific Appeal in 1856. Anderson was also secretary of the executive committee of the Conventions.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Anderson, Peter (c.1822-1879) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed". blackpast.org. 12 February 2007. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
- ^ "Rudolph M. Lapp. <italic>Blacks in Gold Rush California</italic>. (Yale Western Americana Series, number 29.) New Haven: Yale University Press. 1977. Pp. xiv, 321. $ 15.00". The American Historical Review. 1978-06-01. doi:10.1086/ahr/83.3.808-a. ISSN 1937-5239.
- ^ "Delilah L. Beasley, The Negro Trail Blazers of California". The Journal of Negro History. 5 (1): 128–129. 1920-01-01. doi:10.2307/2713506. ISSN 0022-2992. JSTOR 2713506.