# Monroe Baker

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American politician

Monroe Baker Mayor of St. Martinville, Louisiana In office October 1867 (1867-10) – February 1868 (1868-02) Preceded by Pierre Gary Succeeded by A.L. Tertron Personal details Born 1821 or 1823 Spouse(s) Mary L. Barrier Clotide Baker Children 12

**Monroe Baker** (born 1821 or 1823) was an American politician who served as mayor of [St. Martinville, Louisiana](/source/St._Martinville%2C_Louisiana). He was one of the earliest, if not the first, [African-American](/source/African-American) mayor in the United States.

## Biography

Baker was born in either 1821 (per the [1870 US census](/source/1870_US_census)) or 1823 (per the [1850 US census](/source/1850_US_census)) in [St. Mary Parish, Louisiana](/source/St._Mary_Parish%2C_Louisiana), and moved to [St. Martinville, Louisiana](/source/St._Martinville%2C_Louisiana).[1] He is listed as a free black[2] of mixed race descent, and farmer was listed as his occupation.[1]

In October 1867, [Governor](/source/Governor_of_Louisiana) [Benjamin Flanders](/source/Benjamin_Flanders) appointed him mayor of St. Martinville after the death of Mayor Pierre Gary.[3][4] In response, an editorial printed in an [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria%2C_Louisiana) newspaper called Baker a [slur](/source/Nigger) and said it was unnatural for a black person to be mayor over white residents.[5] Baker served until February 1868 when A.L. Tertron succeeded him as mayor.[6]

In 1875, Baker ran in the election for the four seats for trustees of St. Martinsville; he came in fifth place.[7]

In the 1870 census, Baker was listed as a "livery stable keeper", and by 1891, he was listed as "an enterprising citizen and successful planter".[1]

In 1845, he married Mary L. Barrier, and they had 12 children.[1] Sources indicate that he had a second wife named Clotide with whom he had five children, and it is surmised that he had twelve children between his two wives.[1]

## See also

- [List of first African-American mayors](/source/List_of_first_African-American_mayors)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Grissom_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Grissom_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Grissom_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Grissom_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Grissom_1-4) Grissom, Ken (July 12, 2006). ["Baker First Black Mayor"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108091942/teche-news/). *[Teche News](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teche_News&action=edit&redlink=1)* – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Monroe Baker, Mayor of St. Martinsville, he was a Free colored before emancipation"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25167601/monroe-baker-mayor-of-st/). *[The Weekly Iberville South](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Weekly_Iberville_South&action=edit&redlink=1)*. November 9, 1867.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** "[Military Items](https://www.newspapers.com/image/27276905/)". *The Daily Times-Picayune* (New Orleans, Louisiana). October 28, 1867. p. 2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "[A Colored Mayor](https://www.newspapers.com/image/368603084/)". *The Weekly Iberville South* (Plaquemine, Louisiana). November 9, 1867. p. 2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [General Mower](https://www.newspapers.com/image/79731433/)". *The Louisiana Democrat* (Alexandria, Louisiana). November 27, 1867. p. 2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-terton_6-0)** "[Military Items](https://www.newspapers.com/image/27005213/)". *The Times-Picayune*. February 21, 1868. p. 1.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** "[Official: Compiled Returns of an Election Held in the town of St. Martinsville](https://www.newspapers.com/image/326011361/)". *New Orleans Republican*. April 15, 1875. p. 3.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Monroe Baker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Baker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Baker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.