On this day, P.B.S. Pinchback, the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state, formally stepped down from his role as governor of Louisiana. During the inauguration of his successor, he stated: “I now have the honor to formally surrender the office of governor, with the hope that you will administer the government in the interests of all the people [and that] your administration will be as fair toward the humblest as to the proudest citizen.” Pinchback’s brief tenure (Dec 9, 1872 – Jan 13, 1873) marked a historic milestone during the Reconstruction era.
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