05/12/2026
Did you know that PBS Pinchback was born in Macon? Learn more about him ⬇️
ON THIS DAY / MAY 10, 1837
P. B. S. Pinchback (Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback) was a pioneering political leader who made history as the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Born in 1837 in Macon, Georgia, to a formerly enslaved mother and a white father, Pinchback’s early life reflected the complexities of race in the antebellum South. He later moved to Louisiana, where he became active in politics during the Reconstruction era.
Pinchback rose through the ranks of Louisiana’s political system, serving in the state legislature and as lieutenant governor. In December 1872, amid political turmoil and contested election results, he assumed the role of acting governor of Louisiana, serving for approximately one month. Though brief, his tenure marked a historic milestone in American governance, demonstrating the expanding political participation of Black Americans following the Civil War.
In addition to his governorship, Pinchback was elected to both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, although he was ultimately not seated in either chamber due to political opposition. Despite these setbacks, he remained an influential figure in Louisiana politics and worked to promote civil rights, education, and economic opportunity for African Americans.
Pinchback’s career unfolded during a period of both progress and backlash, as Reconstruction reforms were gradually undermined by the rise of white supremacist policies. His legacy endures as a symbol of early Black political leadership and the possibilities—and challenges—of democracy in a post-slavery America.
