Charles H. Langston

Prominent orator for African Americans, self-appointed abolitionist, and political activist Charles Langston, devoted his life to protecting civil rights and pushing for the end of slavery. Although he wasn't born in Kansas, Langston made great waves in the state and it was where he chose to call home. Charles was appointed the Superintendent for Kansas’ Freedman’s Bureau in 1867 and served as the Freedman’s Elementary School’s president. His grave can be found in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Charles Henry Langston was born in Virginia in 1817 to a wealthy white man who had married his mother, a formerly enslaved African American with Native American heritage. Upon his father’s death in 1834, Langston and his brothers received an inheritance and moved to the free state of Ohio to attend college. Here, Langston began his life working as an activist, fighting for the rights of African American men, as he was openly critical of women gaining power. 

Langston and his brother made history as the first African Americans to attend Oberlin College. While at Oberlin, Langston studied politics and education, became politically involved, and quickly became a part of the abolitionist movement as well as the temperance movement. Following graduation, Langston was a practicing lawyer for fifteen years. While his brother, John Mercer, followed graduation with a successful career as an attorney and activist, eventually making his way to becoming the first African American to be elected to Congress, Charles balanced his love of activism with his desire for equal access to education. 

In 1856, Charles began his educational career when appointed the principal of the Columbus Colored School. During his educational pursuits, Langston remained very active politically and served as a longtime conductor along the Underground Railroad. In 1858, he was convicted and moved to Kansas. Here, he founded a school at Leavenworth dedicated to educating African Americans and refugee children. 

Charles met his love Mary, and after the pair married they went on to have four children. Langston quickly became a pillar of the community and in 1865 he was appointed as the Superintendent of the Kansas Freedmen’s Bureau. Following his success and impact in Leavenworth, Langston and his wife moved off to a farm just outside of Quindaro in 1868. It wasn’t long until Langston was appointed the first president of Quindaro’s Freedman’s School in 1872. Charles was an active advocate for civil rights and enjoyed life on the farm up until his death in 1892. His legacy was not forgotten as his children held his deep values and his grandson was famous poet Langston Hughes. 

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Charles Langston, Editor, and Teacher born, AAREG. August 31st 1817. Accessed June 8th 2022. https://aaregistry.org/story/charles-langston-born/.

Lohse, Bill . Charles Henry Langston , January 17th 2007. Accessed June 8th 2022. https://www.Blackpast.org/african-american-history/langston-charles-henry-1817-1892/.

Sheridan, Richard B.. Charles Henry Langston and the African American Struggle in Kansas, Accessed June 8th 2022. https://www.kshs.org/publicat/history/1999winter_sheridan.pdf.