On this date in 1868, Francis L. Cardozo was installed as Secretary of State of South Carolina, making him the first Black person to hold a statewide cabinet position in the United States.
Cardozo was a significant figure during the Reconstruction era. He was highly educated, having studied at the University of Glasgow and in London before returning to the U.S. to advocate for education and civil rights. After serving as Secretary of State, he later became State Treasurer of South Carolina, where he worked to reform financial corruption.
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