James McWashington

James McWashington was a farmer and politician in Texas. Born in Alabama ca. 1840, he was enslaved. He was elected from Montgomery County, Texas as a delegate to the 1868-1869 Texas Constitutional Convention.https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1970&context=ethjhttps://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/forever/freedom/page6.html He advocated for the legalization of marriages among slaves prior to emancipation and property rights for women. He opposed dividing Texas into two states and opposed chartering a railroad company that included former Confederates as stockholders. He ran for a seat in the state legislature but lost. He married and had at least nine children.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/mcwashington-james|title=McWashington, James|first=Texas State Historical|last=Association|website=Texas State Historical Association}}

He was one of five black delegates at the 1868-1869 Texas Constitutional Convention.{{Cite web|url=https://www.laits.utexas.edu/texasblackhistory/Chronology.html|title=Six Flags Chronology|website=www.laits.utexas.edu}} He proposed stripping voting rights and prohibiting from holding office those involved in duels. He opposed imprisoning debtors.afrotexan.com/legislators/politicians/mcwashington.htm Elizabeth McWashington was his wife.https://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/forever/biographies/page6.html

He was one of 52 African American legislators who served during the Reconstruction era memorialized on a monument dedicated in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.texasalmanac.com/articles/african-american-legislators-of-the-19th-century|title=African American Legislators of the 19th Century|first=Texas State Historical|last=Association (TSHA)|website=Texas Almanac}}