February 1865
Events
- February 1865Martin Delany Commissioned as First Black Line Officer Major
After meeting with President Lincoln in February 1865, Martin R. Delany received a commission as Major in the U.S. Army — the first Black man commissioned as a line field officer. A physician, journalist, and Black nationalist, Delany was tasked with recruiting Black soldiers in South Carolina. His commission represented the apex of Black military advancement during the war.
- February 1865John Swett Rock Becomes First Black Attorney Admitted to U.S. Supreme Court Bar
On February 1, 1865, John Swett Rock became the first Black attorney admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, introduced by Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner. Rock was a remarkable polymath — a dentist, physician, and lawyer — whose admission came just days after the House passed the 13th Amendment, marking a symbolic turning point in Black legal standing.
- February 1865John Swett Rock Becomes First Black Attorney Admitted to U.S. Supreme Court Bar
On February 1, 1865, John Swett Rock became the first Black attorney admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, introduced by Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner. Rock was a remarkable polymath — a dentist, physician, and lawyer — whose admission came just days after the House passed the 13th Amendment, marking a symbolic turning point in Black legal standing.