Perry Wilbon Howard II

rdf:langString Perry Wilbon Howard II

rdf:langString Perry W. Howard

rdf:langString Perry W. Howard

rdf:langString Washington, DC, US

rdf:langString Ebenezer, Mississippi, US

rdf:langString Sallie and Perry Wilbon Howard I

rdf:langString Perry Wilbon Howard II (June 14, 1877 – February 1, 1961), also known as Perry Wilbon Howard, Jr., or usually Perry W. Howard, was an American attorney from Mississippi and partner of a prominent law firm in Washington, D.C. He served as the longtime Republican National Committeeman from the U.S. state of Mississippi from 1924 to 1960, even as he conducted his career in the capital. He was appointed in 1923 as United States Special Assistant to the Attorney General under Warren G. Harding, serving also under Calvin Coolidge, and into Herbert Hoover's administration, resigning in 1928. Howard was twice tried on corruption-related charges stemming from his effective control over Republican patronage in Mississippi; he was black but was acquitted both times by all-white juries that feared the threat of white Republicans more than they worried about patronage issues. Following the trials, Howard resigned from his post in the United States Department of Justice, but he retained his position as head of the Republican Party in Mississippi and member of the National Committee. He continued to have a successful career as partner and head of the top black law firm in Washington, DC. Similar to famous activist and leader Booker T. Washington, Howard was considered a "prudent accommodationist," and his speeches often drew more support from whites than blacks. During the time, these stances tended to emphasize economic self-improvement and better race relations as opposed to pushing for immediate, radical changes.