THE EDWARD WEST PARKER PAGES
THE CALIFORNIA STATE CONVENTION OF COLORED CITIZENS
1865
In early 1865, at a time when Union and Confederate forces were still fighting the Civil War and African-Americans were not yet legalized citizens of the United States, a group of leading "colored" men (the popular term of the day) began calling for a convention of colored citizens to discuss the status and future of African-Americans. The convention was eventually held in Sacramento on October 25 through 28.
Edward Parker Sr. served on the Executive Committee of the San Francisco organizing committee, attended the convention, and was selected to serve on the Industrial Pursuits and Finance Standing Committees.
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Reproduction of the call for the convention published in the Elevator newspaper, San Francisco, June 16, 1865, with the text following:
From The Elevator newsaper (colored)
San Francisco, California
June 16, 1865
Call for a State Convention of the Colored Citizens of California
The undersigned, believing that at this time "the wisdom, the virtue, the learning, the wealth, and the piety of our people" should assemble in Convention to deliberate on the political and educational interests, hereby request our leading men throughout the State to make arrangements to effect the same.
A. WADDY, President Public Meeting on May 26th
Geo. W. Dennis, Wm. Burris, Vice Presidents
Executive Committee of San Francisco
W. H. Yates
J. Madison Bell
Jas. P. Dyer
John J. Meshaw
H.M. Collins
W.H. Hall
Ed. W. Parker
D.W. Ruggles
F.G. BARBADOES, President
S. Peneton, Vice President
J. R. Starkey, Treasurer
R.A. Hall, Corresponding Secretary
George A. Deval
Jas. B. Brown
Sam'l A. Smyth
H.R. Robertson
Wm. H. Blake
Philip A. Bell
Jackson Warren
Russell Davis
Napoleon Brown
S.C. Serrington
M.D. Kenedy
John Douglas
Chester Hane
Wm. H. Murray
H.T. Maine
Geo. Smith
Barney Fletcher
B.W. Davis
William H. Gibson
Anthony Osborne
Henry Lewis
Zadok F. Bell
Daniel Seales
John Bailey
Wm. T. Pool
Lewis Johnson
George Johnson
R. Peton Yates
S.K. Updike
Henry A. Osborne
James H. Riker
J. Morris Cowen
W.A. Montgomery
J. B. Sanderson