Thomas Mundy Peterson
Thomas Mundy Peterson | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 6, 1826 |
| Died | February 9, 1904 (age 77) |
| Known for | The first African American to vote in the United States after the passage of the 15th Amendment |
Thomas Mundy Peterson (October 6, 1824 – February 4, 1904) of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, has been claimed to be the first African American to vote in an election under the just-enacted provisions of the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
His vote was cast on March 31, 1870; the Amendment had been ratified almost two months earlier, on February 3, but was only officially certified by Secretary of State Hamilton Fish on March 30.