Black History: Significant Milestones from April 2-8, 2025

APRIL 2, 1855—John Mercer Langston makes history as the first African American elected to office in Brownhelm Township, Ohio. A notable anti-slavery advocate, he contributed to Howard University’s law program. Langston passed away in 1897 and is commemorated by the town of Langston, Oklahoma.1932—William “Bill” Pickett, the legendary Black cowboy, dies at 70 after a horse accident in Ponca, Oklahoma. A star of “wild west” shows, he pioneered bulldogging and was of both Black and Indigenous heritage.