• About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Ideas
Subscribe
The Coastal
  • Development
    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Publix to anchor Crossings at Wildlight

    The Phoenix Bar & Bowling, Jacksonville, FL

    4 Older Neighborhoods in Jax with Big Potential

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Beach Bowl making a comeback

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Rooms To Go coming to Town Center area

    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Concert venue, rooftop bar proposed downtown

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Margaritaville Hotel opens in Jax Beach

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Berkman Plaza II (finally) coming down for redevelopment

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

  • History
    • All
    • Jax Evolved
    The Phoenix Bar & Bowling, Jacksonville, FL

    4 Older Neighborhoods in Jax with Big Potential

    Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

    Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

    Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church

    Levy's department store, Jacksonville, FL

    Levy’s Department Store Once Dressed Jacksonville’s Elite

    Skinners' Dairy milk retail huts, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering Hardwick & Lee’s Distinctive Skinners’ Dairy Huts

    VyStar Tower, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: VyStar Tower

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Jacksonville Public Library

    Story of a Building: Jacksonville Main Library

    Riverplace Tower, Jacksonville FL

    Story of a Building: Riverplace Tower

  • Culture
    • All
    • Art
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Music
    • Shopping
    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

    Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

    ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Confederate monument removed in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Biggest Local Stories of 2020

    Jacksonville Zoo

    A Brief History of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

    MOSH Genesis rendering

    MOSH Releases Conceptual Renderings for Proposed Northbank Museum

    LaRose Women's Footwear, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering LaRose, Jacksonville’s Famous Women’s Shoe Store

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

  • Community
    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    The Pitman Sisters, TikTok video stars from Jacksonville, FL

    How “The Pitman Sisters” Became TikTok Famous During COVID-19

    Local Women in Cannabis, Jacksonville, FL

    Breaking the “Grass Ceiling”: Local Women in Cannabis

    Urban Mining Jacksonville FL

    How Urban Mining Utilizes Donations to Provide Computers for Local Kids

    Cowford Chophouse Teams Up with Jacksonville Arts & Music School for 4th Annual MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Raises Over $18,000 for Jacksonville Arts & Music School

    COVID-19 Testing homeless population in Jacksonville, FL

    Entire Jacksonville Homeless Shelter Population Tests Negative for COVID-19

  • Food + Drink
    • All
    • Beer
    • Reviews
    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

    Norikase Jacksonville

    BENTO Group to Debut Norikase Concept in Jacksonville

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Palace Saloon, Fernandina Beach, FL

    Florida’s Oldest Bar, the Palace Saloon, Can Be Found on Amelia Island

    Farms in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Great Local Farms in Jacksonville

    The Volstead, Jacksonville, FL

    HIDDEN GEMS: The Volstead, Downtown Jacksonville’s Speakeasy

  • More
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Lists
    • Sports
    • 904VIEWS
    • Seven Bridges
    • Music
No Result
View All Result
The Coastal
  • Development
    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Publix to anchor Crossings at Wildlight

    The Phoenix Bar & Bowling, Jacksonville, FL

    4 Older Neighborhoods in Jax with Big Potential

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Beach Bowl making a comeback

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Rooms To Go coming to Town Center area

    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Concert venue, rooftop bar proposed downtown

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Margaritaville Hotel opens in Jax Beach

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Berkman Plaza II (finally) coming down for redevelopment

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

  • History
    • All
    • Jax Evolved
    The Phoenix Bar & Bowling, Jacksonville, FL

    4 Older Neighborhoods in Jax with Big Potential

    Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

    Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

    Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church

    Levy's department store, Jacksonville, FL

    Levy’s Department Store Once Dressed Jacksonville’s Elite

    Skinners' Dairy milk retail huts, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering Hardwick & Lee’s Distinctive Skinners’ Dairy Huts

    VyStar Tower, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: VyStar Tower

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Jacksonville Public Library

    Story of a Building: Jacksonville Main Library

    Riverplace Tower, Jacksonville FL

    Story of a Building: Riverplace Tower

  • Culture
    • All
    • Art
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Music
    • Shopping
    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

    Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

    ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Confederate monument removed in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Biggest Local Stories of 2020

    Jacksonville Zoo

    A Brief History of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

    MOSH Genesis rendering

    MOSH Releases Conceptual Renderings for Proposed Northbank Museum

    LaRose Women's Footwear, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering LaRose, Jacksonville’s Famous Women’s Shoe Store

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

  • Community
    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    The Pitman Sisters, TikTok video stars from Jacksonville, FL

    How “The Pitman Sisters” Became TikTok Famous During COVID-19

    Local Women in Cannabis, Jacksonville, FL

    Breaking the “Grass Ceiling”: Local Women in Cannabis

    Urban Mining Jacksonville FL

    How Urban Mining Utilizes Donations to Provide Computers for Local Kids

    Cowford Chophouse Teams Up with Jacksonville Arts & Music School for 4th Annual MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Raises Over $18,000 for Jacksonville Arts & Music School

    COVID-19 Testing homeless population in Jacksonville, FL

    Entire Jacksonville Homeless Shelter Population Tests Negative for COVID-19

  • Food + Drink
    • All
    • Beer
    • Reviews
    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

    Norikase Jacksonville

    BENTO Group to Debut Norikase Concept in Jacksonville

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Palace Saloon, Fernandina Beach, FL

    Florida’s Oldest Bar, the Palace Saloon, Can Be Found on Amelia Island

    Farms in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Great Local Farms in Jacksonville

    The Volstead, Jacksonville, FL

    HIDDEN GEMS: The Volstead, Downtown Jacksonville’s Speakeasy

  • More
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Lists
    • Sports
    • 904VIEWS
    • Seven Bridges
    • Music
No Result
View All Result
The Coastal
No Result
View All Result

Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

by The Coastal
January 20, 2021 - Updated on February 1, 2021
in Culture, History
Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Upon moving to Jacksonville in 1873, Joseph E. Lee became the city’s first practicing Black lawyer. As it turned out, that would be just the first of several accomplishments in Lee’s groundbreaking professional life.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1849, Lee received the finest education that was available to a young Black man at the time; he attended the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia, which later became Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, and studied law at the famed Howard University.

After earning a law degree from Howard in 1873, Lee set his sights on Jacksonville, opening up practice as an attorney locally. Before long, he was elected to serve in the Florida House of Representatives – he served for six years beginning in 1875, according to historic state archive documents.

Lee was one of a handful of Black politicians who found success in the waning days of Reconstruction, before the proliferation of “Jim Crow” laws effectively shut them out of politics. He was a valued figure in the Republican Party, twice named as a delegate for the Republican National Convention.

Lee left the House to serve in the state Senate – he was there for a single term.

Though the wheels of disenfranchisement had begun to turn, Lee was a popular figure among Jacksonville residents – particularly the city’s Black population which, thanks to the recent annexation of Black suburbs LaVilla and Brooklyn, wielded a surprising degree of political power. Lee leveraged this power effectively, becoming a municipal judge in 1888 despite running against two white candidates.

You MightAlso Like

The Phoenix Bar & Bowling, Jacksonville, FL

4 Older Neighborhoods in Jax with Big Potential

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

After serving as judge, Lee twice served as customs collector for the Port of St. Johns. In 1898, he became the city’s collector of internal revenue – now known as tax collector – and kept that role for fifteen years before leaving office in 1913.

According to a note from Eartha M.M. White’s personal records, Lee began practicing law again out of an office on Beaver Street following his tenure as the city’s tax collector. He worked up until his passing in 1920.

Though there are shockingly few reminders of Lee’s presence that remain today, his impact locally and nationally was immense. As the city’s first Black lawyer, he helped pave the way for James Weldon Johnson, Daniel Webster Perkins, and so many other attorneys of color, past and present, in Jacksonville.

Tags: black history month
ShareTweetSendShareShare
Previous Post

Building Up Jax: JWB Real Estate Capital eyes two adaptive reuse projects downtown

Next Post

New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

The Coastal

The Coastal is a local magazine in Jacksonville, FL, founded in 2015 to bring you stories about the past, present, and future of the First Coast.

Related Posts

The Phoenix Bar & Bowling, Jacksonville, FL

4 Older Neighborhoods in Jax with Big Potential

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL

Story of a Building: Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church

Next Post
New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: Berkman Plaza II (finally) coming down for redevelopment

VyStar Tower, Jacksonville, FL

Story of a Building: VyStar Tower

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

LATEST POSTS

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday
Development

Building Up Jax: Publix to anchor Crossings at Wildlight

Publix to anchor Crossings at Wildlight Wildlight has officially landed its biggest retail tenant yet: Publix. The Nassau County master-planned...

Read more
The Phoenix Bar & Bowling, Jacksonville, FL

4 Older Neighborhoods in Jax with Big Potential

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: Beach Bowl making a comeback

Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

The Coastal

© 2015-2020 Cowford Media / The Coastal Jacksonville LLC. All rights reserved.

Browse by Section

  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Ideas

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Development
  • Culture
  • History
    • Jax Evolved
  • In the Community
  • Food + Drink
  • Sports
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Submit Your Story
    • Advertise

© 2015-2020 Cowford Media / The Coastal Jacksonville LLC. All rights reserved.