Brownhelm Township in Lorain County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
John Mercer Langston
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 24, 2026
1. John Mercer Langston Marker
The first African-American elected to government office in the United States, John Mercer Langston (1829-1897) won the office of Brownhelm Township on April 2, 1855. Born in Virginia and raised in Chillicothe, Langston graduated from Oberlin College in 1849 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1854, becoming Ohio's first black attorney. He served as the first president of the National Equal Rights League in 1864, and subsequently as professor of law, dean, and acting president of Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1890, he became Virginia's first black congressman. Throughout his career Langston set a personal example of self-reliance in the struggle for justice for African-Americans.
Erected 2002 by The Ohio Bicentennial Commission; The Longaberger Company; Brownhelm Historical Association; The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 7-47.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Government & Politics. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 2, 1855.
Location. 41° 23.374′ N,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland, on the Lake Erie Shore, and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Beautiful Bald Eagles of the Vermilion River Valley (approx. 1.8 miles away); The Great Nest of Brownhelm (approx. 1.8 miles away); Vermilion (approx. 2.6 miles away); Lorain County Vietnam Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.8
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 24, 2026
2. John Mercer Langston Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 28, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 28, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
