*The birth of Minnie Cox in 1869 is celebrated on this date. She was an African American teacher, and postal administrator.
Minnie M. Geddings Cox was one of two daughters born to William and Mary Geddings of Lexington, Mississippi. She graduated from Fisk University and first taught school at the common schools in Lexington. Soon after married and assisted her husband, Wayne, when he was principal of the Indianola Colored Public School. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison appointed Cox postmistress of Indianola, and was reappointed by President William McKinley; becoming first Black postmistress of the United States.
On January 25, 1900, McKinley raised her rank from fourth class to third class and appointed Mrs. Cox for a full four-year term. However, in the fall of 1902 under the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt a controversy brought national attention to Mrs. Cox. Jim Crow Laws overran Reconstruction in America and whites wanted Blacks eliminated from leadership positions. Some of the local whites in Indianola met and drew up a petition requesting Cox’s resignation. Increased tension and threats of physical harm caused Cox to submit her resignation to take effect January 1, 1903.
Roosevelt felt Mrs. Cox had been wronged, and that the authority of the federal government was being compromised and refused to accept her resignation. Instead, he closed Indianola’s post office on January 2, 1903, rerouted the mail to Greenville, MS, and Cox continued to receive her salary. Also for four hours in January 1903, the Indianola postal event was debated on the floor of the United States Senate, and appeared on the front pages of newspapers across the country. A year later, at the expiration of Mrs. Cox’s term, in February 1904 the post office was reopened, but demoted in rank from third class to fourth class. Minnie Cox died in 1933.
Tacodogz on May 1st, 2018 at 14:34 UTC »
Another fun fact about Teddy being egalitarian:
During WWI he was given permission to organize and lead a division of volunteers to fight on the western front. However when Theodore named a black colonel as his second in command Woodrow Wilson ordered the division dissolved.
TooShiftyForYou on May 1st, 2018 at 13:21 UTC »
Mrs. Cox was known for her efficiency and dedication. She was also known for working long hours and she even personally covered late rent on post office boxes for Indianola’s citizens so as to avoid any possible conflict with her patrons. She installed a telephone in the post office, at her own expense, so patrons could call and check if they had any mail to pick up.
In the fall of 1902, James K. Vardaman, a white supremacist, began delivering speeches reproaching the people of Indianola for “tolerating a negro [sic] wench as a postmaster.” His motive for these speeches was not only to spread his white supremacist message but also to expel Mrs. Cox from her postmaster position with the hopes of obtaining it and the position’s salary for himself.
The situation in Indianola began to deteriorate further as the white citizens of Indianola began to resent Mrs. Cox and her husband more and more for their prosperity and success.
The white townspeople of Indianola began calling meetings and voted to order Mrs. Cox to resign from her office by January 1, 1903 although her commission did not end until a year from that date, in 1904. While she refused to step down prior to the end of her term, Mrs. Cox made it known that she would not be a candidate for reappointment.
President Roosevelt made it clear that there would be no need for federal troops for protection and refused to accept Mrs. Cox’s resignation. He instead suspended the Indianola post office on January 2, 1903. Roosevelt made it clear to the Indianola citizens that mail would be rerouted until Mrs. Cox could resume her duties.
In response to the town’s actions against Mrs. Cox, President Roosevelt ordered the Attorney General to prosecute the citizens who had threatened Mrs. Cox with violence. The Postmaster General also reduced the rank of the Indianola Post Office from a third-class to a fourth-class.
Source
WhatACunningHam on May 1st, 2018 at 13:16 UTC »
Speak softly and reroute the fuck out of their mail.