Legislator Details


Horace Alton White
AKA:
Number of sessions served 1
Sessions served
Gender: Male
Age at election: 33

Vital Records Information:

Birth
Date: 7/24/1907
City: Cave Spring, GA
County: Floyd County, GA
Country: US
 
Death
Date: 2/10/1958
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Type of Burial:
Burial
Date: 2/13/1958
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Cemetery: Westlawn Cemetery

Marital Information:
married Juanita; children: 4, Peter, John, Alton and Celia

Number of Children: 4

Background

Religion: Congregationalist
Military Service:
Occupation: minister
Race: African American or Negro or Black

Education:
graduated Central HS, Cleveland, OH; graduated from Ohio Weslayan University; attended: Drew University; Oberlin College; and University of Michigan

Biographical Sketch:
Son of Alfred & Dora [later Wallace] White. Served on the Wayne County board of supervisors, 1939 and was a member or the Detroit housing commission. Served as director of the Lapeer Consultation Center for the State Home and Training School in Detroit. Member of NAACP, National Negro Congress, Professional League for Protection of Civil Rights. he was an advocate for developmentally disabled persons. He was a minister of Plymouth Congregational Church and had been a minister for 22 years at the time of his death.

Notable Facts:
First African American on the Detroit City Housing Commission and on the mayor's first Inter-racial Committee. Received a commendation for his efforts to ease racial tensions during the 1943 race riots.

Sessions Served:

Sixty-First Legislature, 1941-1942
Chamber: House
Party: Democratic
Committees Served On: Apportionment , Kalamazoo State Hospital , Metropolitan Affairs, Religious and Benevolent Societies , State Capitol and Public Buildings
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: Wayne 1
District Description: Townships of Gratiot and Grosse Point, and the cities of Detroit and Grosse Pointe

Date Elected: 11/5/1940
Date Sworn In: 1/1/1941
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: Chose not to run
End of Term Status: Departed

Maritial Status: Single
Notes: Chair of the Committee on Religious and Benevolent Societies

Bibliography:

Manual 1941 p.692; 1958 HJ p.271, HR23; DFP 2/11/1958 p.1, col.4, includes photo; DFP 2/12/1958 p.8, col.1; DFP 2/12/2958 p.15, col.3; DetNews 2/11/1958 p.1, col.3, includes photo; DetNews 2/12/1958 p.57, col.3
View Bibliographical Sources