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Caesar Perkins
Member From: 1869 - 1888
- Birth Date: March 1839 Birth Place:Buckingham County, VA
- Death Date: September 22, 1910
- Gender: Male Race: African American
- Spouse: Susannah or Susan; Lucy J. Claiborne (m. December 14, 1899)
- Children: Two daughters
- Religion: Baptist
- Education:
- Military Service:
- Occupation/Profession: Storekeeper and Pastor
- Memberships/Affiliations: Fork Union Baptist Church (trustee), Zion Grove Baptist Church, Slate River Baptist Association (treasurer)
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Additional Info Links:
Bio from Encyclopedia Virginia
Bio from Virginia's Martin Luther King Jr. Commission
- Bio: Caesar Perkins served two separate terms in the House of Delegates eighteen years apart (1869–1871, 1887–1888). Born enslaved, Perkins became a leader within Buckingham County‘s African American community after the American Civil War (1860–1865). In 1869 he won one of the locality’s two seats in the General Assembly’s lower house. Outside of politics Perkins purchased 628 acres in 1870, and later operated a general store and two ordinaries. He became an ordained Baptist minister by 1877. Perkins remained involved with public affairs, following most African American politicians into the short-lived Readjuster Party and then into the Republican Party. He won his second term in 1887, representing Brunswick and Caroline counties. He died in Richmond and was buried in Buckingham County.
| Session | District | District Number | Party | Leadership | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869-1871 | Buckingham | Radical Republican/Readjuster | Claims | ||
| 1887-1888 | Cumberland and Buckingham | Republican | Claims Committee (Dates Unknown)
Labor and the Poor Committee Manufactures and Mechanic Arts Committee |
*The information within this interactive and searchable application has been researched extensively by the House Clerk’s Office. As with any historical records of this age and breadth, there may be discrepancies and/or inconsistencies within records obtained from a variety of credible sources. Any feedback is encouraged at history@house.virginia.gov.