William T. Francis

William T. Francis (March 26, 1870 – July 15, 1929) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat from Minnesota. He was a successful personal and civil rights lawyer, winning discrimination cases against the police and employers, and successfully lobbying for state anti-discrimination and anti-lynching legislation. He was the U.S. Minister Resident/Consul General in Liberia, the first African-American diplomat from Minnesota. In Liberia, Francis conducted a nine-month inquiry into allegations of government involvement in slavery and forced labor. He died in post in Liberia of yellow fever. His report helped achieve a League of Nations investigation that ultimately forced the president, Charles D.B. King, and the vice president of Liberia, Allen Yancy, to resign in 1930.