Draft:Robert J. Nelson

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R. J. Nelson and Robert John Nelson should link here.

Robert J. Nelson (May 20,1873 - February 2, 1949) was a journalist, publisher, messenger, porter, and clerk who worked for the Department of Mines in Pennsylvania and was active as a community and civil rights leader. He lived in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, he was described as being "mulatto".{{Cite web|url=https://digitalharrisburg.com/commonwealth/100names/robert-j-nelson/|title=Robert J. Nelson|date=October 24, 2020}} He attended the public schools in Reading. He was the youngest of 11 children. He co-founded and edited the Wilmington Advocate and later was an editor for the Washington Eagle.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fcROEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22robert+john+nelson%22+harrisburg&pg=PA145 | title=Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson | isbn=978-1-5013-8233-8 | last1=Green | first1=Tara T. | date=16 December 2021 | publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA }} His first marriage was to Elizabeth Barber of Baltimore. They had a daughter Elizabeth and a son Robert Clarke (who died as a child). He was a member of the United Negro Republican Association. He served as preaident of the Douglas Publishing Company in Harrisburg.

He was a Grand Master of the Odd Fellows of Pennsylvania.

His second marriage was to Alice Dunbar-Nelson (1875-1935) on April 20, 1916. He was her third husband. She was the widow of Paul Lawrence Dunbar.{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SFoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22robert+j.+nelson%22+harrisburg&pg=PA60 | title=The Crisis | date=June 1916 }}

His wife compiled Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence and he published it in 1914.{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=udEiAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22robert+john+nelson%22&pg=PA63 | title=Catalog of Copyright Entries | date=1914 }}

He was part of the Colored Professionals and Businessman and was secretary for the Harrisburg NAACP. He served as president of the Harrisburg People's Forum and was a director for the Colored People for Independence.

He served as president of the Afro-American Republican League of Pennsylvania for at least three terms.

He was a clerk in Reading for the Department of Mines.{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yaEjAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22robert+j.+nelson%22+harrisburg&pg=PA63-IA12 | title=Rules and decisions of the General assembly of Pennsylvania, legisative directory | date=1919 }}

He belonged to the Capital Street Presbyterian Church and was involved in leading its Sunday School. He belonged to the Elks and was a member of the Mohican Club. In 1913 he won a lawsuit over segregation at the Victoria theatre.