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Biography · Politics & Public Life

James J. Spelman

1841–1894

United States

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Biography

James J. Spelman (January 18, 1841 – June 25, 1894) was an American journalist and politician active in New York and Mississippi. His early career was as a journalist and a stage performer and manager in New York City. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Spelman helped encourage the use of African-American soldiers, and once they were allowed, helped recruit. After the war, he moved to Mississippi where he continued his work as a journalist and served for six years in the state legislature.

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Black heritage reference ↗

Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-20

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