Edward H. Morris
Edward H. Morris | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
| Constituency | Cook County |
| In office 1890–1892 | |
| In office 1902–1904 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 30, 1858 Flemingsburg, Kentucky |
| Died | February 3, 1943 (aged 84) Washington, D.C. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
Edward H. Morris (May 30, 1858 – February 3, 1943) was an African-American lawyer and state legislator in Illinois.
Early life
Morris was born in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, on May 30, 1858.[1] He was the son of a slave.[2] He graduated from St. Patrick's High School, Chicago.[3]
Law career
Morris was admitted to the Chicago Bar in 1879 and became the fifth African American lawyer admitted to the Illinois Bar.[2][3] He became one of Chicago's most successful black lawyers, and by the mid-1880s had become considered the unofficial "dean of colored lawyers" in Chicago.[2]
Morris served as a mentor to many Black attorneys, including Frederick McGhee, who in 1885 joined Morris in practice.[2]
State and local office
.jpg)
In 1891, Morris was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives as a Republican,[2] and represented Cook County in the chamber from 1890 to 1892 and again from 1902 to 1904.[4] He served as a town attorney of South Chicago, Illinois in 1892 and again in 1896. In 1895, he served as an Assistant Sate's Attorney in Cook County, Illinois.[2] In 1919 he was appointed to the Chicago Commission on Race Relations.[5]
Death
Edward H. Morris died in Washington, D.C., on February 3, 1943.[1][6]
References
- ^ a b "Edward H. Morris". The Journal of Negro History. 28 (2 April 1943): 258–259. 1943. doi:10.1086/jnhv28n2p258. ISSN 0022-2992. S2CID 224841448.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Sweet Trials, Clarence Darrow and Race | The Clarence Darrow Digital Collection". librarycollections.law.umn.edu (University of Minnesota Law Library). Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ a b "Morris, Edward H." Notable Kentucky African Americans Database. University of Kentucky. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
- ^ Blue Book of the State of Illinois. State of Illinois. 1921. pp. 652, 662. Retrieved July 6, 2020 – via Google Books.
- ^ The Negro in Chicago; a study of race relations and a race riot. Chicago, Illinois: The University of Chicago Press. 1922. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
- ^ "Edward Morris, Noted Negro Attorney, Dies". The Star Press. Chicago. AP. February 4, 1943. p. 2. Retrieved July 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.