Oscar Dunn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oscar James Dunn (1820?-1871) was an American soldier and one of three African Americans who served as a Republican lieutenant governor of Louisiana during the era of Reconstruction. He was born in Louisiana, probably as a slave, who later escaped from his owners.

In 1868, Dunn became the first elected black lieutenant governor of a U.S. state. He ran on the ticket headed by carpetbagger Henry Clay Warmoth, formerly of Illinois. After Dunn died in office, then-state Senator P. B. S. Pinchback (also a black Republican) became lieutenant governor and thereafter governor for a 34-day interim period.

[edit] See also