Columbus in Lowndes County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Henry Edwin Baker Jr.
Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 21, 2026
1. Henry E. Baker Jr. Marker
Henry E. Baker Jr. (1857-1928) was born enslaved in Columbus. He attended Union Academy and became the first Black Mississippian appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1874. After enduring racial hazing and discrimination, Baker was forced out in 1875. He graduated from Howard University School of Law in 1881 and rose to a high position in the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C. Baker was the first author to write books about the work of African American inventors in the 19th century and their contributions to society.
Erected 2025 by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Mississippi State Historical Marker Program series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.
Location. 33° 29.749′ N, 88° 25.389′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Mississippi, in Lowndes County. It is at the intersection of Main Street and North 9th Street, in the median on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Columbus MS 39701, United
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in East Mississippi, in the Black Prairie, and in the Golden Triangle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Black Belt. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Church of the Annunciation (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Replica of the Statue of Liberty (about 700 feet away); Snowdoun (about 700 feet away); Friendship Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Baptist Church of Columbus (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mississippi State College for Women (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sims-Brown House (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Methodist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Also see . . . Henry E. Baker (1857-1928) BlackPast.
Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 21, 2026
2. Henry E. Baker Jr. Marker
Public Domain image
3. Henry E. Baker Jr. Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2026, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 23, 2026, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
