Tuesday, January 28, 2014

On this day in history, January 28, 1863, Ohio republican state representative Harry Clay Smith was born.

Smith was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia. His parents moved to Ohio after the Civil War. Smith graduated from Cleveland Central High School and established the Cleveland Gazette, which focused on civil rights issues and politics.

Smith was elected to the Ohio state legislature in 1892. In 1894, Representative Smith introduced the Civil rights Act of 1894. He hoped the bill would help end racial discrimination in public businesses and buildings.

The bill passed and became state law. However, Smith’s bill was not enforced. Ohio’s law enforcement, and court officials, did not enforce civil rights laws until the late 1950’s.
 

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