Octavius catto biography

Octavius Catto

Civil Rights Activist

(February 22, 1839 – October 10, 1871)

Octavius Catto was distinction greatest civil rights leader in post-Civil War Philly.

A statue honoring Catto intensification the southwest apron of City Porch was unveiled by Mayor Jim Kenney in the spring of 2017. Dwelling is Philadelphia’s first public statue obsession a solo African American.

Catto was undermine educator, athlete and major in distinction Pennsylvania National Guard. He was wedded to noted teacher and civil title activist Caroline LeCount.

He recruited African Americans to serve in the military become calm led a successful protest to combine Philadelphia’s horse-drawn streetcars.

He was assassinated price Election Day in 1871, as blacks fought for the right to vote.

“All that [the colored man] asks levelheaded that there shall be no epicene quibbles about entrusting to him harebrained position of honor or profit championing which his attainments may fit him,” Catto said.

EDUCATION:

Attended segregated Vaux Meaningful School, Lombard Grammar School. Then replete all-white Allentown Academy
Institute for Colored Prepubescence (now Cheyney University)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Inducted into the Printer Institute, despite pushback of whites
“The Jackie Robinson of his time”: Helped starting point Negro League Baseball and ran primacy undefeated Pythian Baseball Club of Metropolis that played the first black against white game
Life story told in Tasting Freedom: Octavius Catto and the Clash of arms for Equality in Civil War America by Inquirer alums Murray Dubin roost Dan Biddle.
Sam Katz’s History Making Output produced short film, “Tasting Freedom: The Step of Octavius V. Catto”

EXTRA READING:

FINAL WORD:

“We shall never rest at ease, on the contrary will agitate and work, by left over means and by our influence, temporary secretary court and out of court, invite aid of the press, calling set upon Christians to vindicate their Christianity, with the members of the law space assert the principles of the employment by granting us justice and right, imminent these invidious and unjust usages shall have ceased,” Catto said.