SkipCaptcha
35,519
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Roscoe Conkling Simmons (view source)
Revision as of 04:46, November 21, 2021
, 04:46, November 21, 2021start
'''Roscoe Conkling Simmons, Sr.''' (June 20, 1881 – April 27, 1951), also known as '''R. C. Simmons''', was a journalist, orator, and staunch [[Republican]] from [[Mississippi]] who was a leader among black-and-tan factions, pro-civil rights GOP delegations in [[the South]]. A nephew of renowned black leader [[Booker T. Washington]], his advocacy often shared the accommodationist tones similar to that of [[Perry W. Howard, II]].
==Background==
Simmons was born on June 20, 1881 to Emory Peter Simmons and the former Willie Murray. He was named after [[New York]] representative and senator [[Roscoe Conkling]], the leader of the congressional [[Stalwart]]s who resisted civil service reform in the late 1870s out of concern for the plight of Southern blacks.
Reared in a humble environment, Simmons was sent by his uncle at the age of twelve to live with [[Ohio]] Republican senator [[Mark Hanna]],<ref name=biopage55>Sewell, George Alexander; Dwight, Margaret L. [https://books.google.com/books?id=z74vTOrw5mYC&pg=PA55#v=onepage&q&f=false Mississippi Black History Makers], p. 55. ''Google Books''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref> an acolyte of President [[William McKinley]]. For a period of time, he also lived with Medill McCormick, a one-term U.S. senator from [[Illinois]].
==Political career==
Simmons helped campaign for [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in 1910, where his brilliance in oratory was observed among Republicans.<ref name=biopage55/> Even populist Democrat leader [[William Jennings Bryan]] commented:
{{cquote|Tonight's speech by young Roscoe Simmons has assured him a place among the great orators of the world.|||William Jennings Bryan, 1910}}
Washington, the founder of [[Tuskegee Institute]], at one point offered Simmons a job at the university; the latter humbly declined, stating:<ref name=biopage55/>
{{cquote|I have been called too, to teach, but the rostrum and the public hall will be my classroom.|||Roscoe Simmons}}
===Friendship with R. R. Church===
Once garnering fame and recognition for his skills as a journalist and orator, Simmons helped promote Washington's causes that emphasized uplifting oneself economically, in addition to seeking blacks in the South for potential enrollment into Tuskegee Institute.<ref name=biopage55/> He founded ''The Memphis Sun'', which with financial backing from Robert R. Church, Jr. beamed in business for six months in providing success stories and advice for black farmers.<ref name=biopage55/>
Forming a friendship with Church, the latter played a crucial role in the organization of the Church's Lincoln League that pushed for the election of black Tennesseans in [[Memphis]].<ref name=biopage55/> Although the effort was defeated by [[Jim Crow]] [[Democrats]], there were enough votes polled to appoint Church to the national GOP advisory board.<ref>''Mississippi Black History Makers'', p. 56.</ref> In addition, a newly organized Lincoln League on the national level in 1919 elected Simmons to become its first president.
===Illinois GOP politics===
In the 1930 midterms, Simmons ran for [[United States House of Representatives]] from [[Illinois]]' 1st congressional district, challenging incumbent black Republican congressman [[Oscar De Priest]] for the party nomination. Receiving bare support from the local party organization, he finished second in a field of five candidates, he polled around 5,000 votes to De Priest's 17,103.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=573164 IL District 1 - R Primary Race - Apr 08, 1930]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simmons, Roscoe Conkling}}
[[Category:Mississippi]]
[[Category:Illinois]]
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Orators]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Black History]]
[[Category:Civil Rights]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
==Background==
Simmons was born on June 20, 1881 to Emory Peter Simmons and the former Willie Murray. He was named after [[New York]] representative and senator [[Roscoe Conkling]], the leader of the congressional [[Stalwart]]s who resisted civil service reform in the late 1870s out of concern for the plight of Southern blacks.
Reared in a humble environment, Simmons was sent by his uncle at the age of twelve to live with [[Ohio]] Republican senator [[Mark Hanna]],<ref name=biopage55>Sewell, George Alexander; Dwight, Margaret L. [https://books.google.com/books?id=z74vTOrw5mYC&pg=PA55#v=onepage&q&f=false Mississippi Black History Makers], p. 55. ''Google Books''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref> an acolyte of President [[William McKinley]]. For a period of time, he also lived with Medill McCormick, a one-term U.S. senator from [[Illinois]].
==Political career==
Simmons helped campaign for [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in 1910, where his brilliance in oratory was observed among Republicans.<ref name=biopage55/> Even populist Democrat leader [[William Jennings Bryan]] commented:
{{cquote|Tonight's speech by young Roscoe Simmons has assured him a place among the great orators of the world.|||William Jennings Bryan, 1910}}
Washington, the founder of [[Tuskegee Institute]], at one point offered Simmons a job at the university; the latter humbly declined, stating:<ref name=biopage55/>
{{cquote|I have been called too, to teach, but the rostrum and the public hall will be my classroom.|||Roscoe Simmons}}
===Friendship with R. R. Church===
Once garnering fame and recognition for his skills as a journalist and orator, Simmons helped promote Washington's causes that emphasized uplifting oneself economically, in addition to seeking blacks in the South for potential enrollment into Tuskegee Institute.<ref name=biopage55/> He founded ''The Memphis Sun'', which with financial backing from Robert R. Church, Jr. beamed in business for six months in providing success stories and advice for black farmers.<ref name=biopage55/>
Forming a friendship with Church, the latter played a crucial role in the organization of the Church's Lincoln League that pushed for the election of black Tennesseans in [[Memphis]].<ref name=biopage55/> Although the effort was defeated by [[Jim Crow]] [[Democrats]], there were enough votes polled to appoint Church to the national GOP advisory board.<ref>''Mississippi Black History Makers'', p. 56.</ref> In addition, a newly organized Lincoln League on the national level in 1919 elected Simmons to become its first president.
===Illinois GOP politics===
In the 1930 midterms, Simmons ran for [[United States House of Representatives]] from [[Illinois]]' 1st congressional district, challenging incumbent black Republican congressman [[Oscar De Priest]] for the party nomination. Receiving bare support from the local party organization, he finished second in a field of five candidates, he polled around 5,000 votes to De Priest's 17,103.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=573164 IL District 1 - R Primary Race - Apr 08, 1930]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simmons, Roscoe Conkling}}
[[Category:Mississippi]]
[[Category:Illinois]]
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Orators]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Black History]]
[[Category:Civil Rights]]
[[Category:Patriots]]