Cardozo, Thomas W. (1838 – 1881)

Cardozo, Thomas W. (1838 – 1881)

  • <p>Thomas W. Cardozo. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.</p> <p>This image is available from the United States Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division under the digital ID cph.3b46483</p>

Thomas W. Cardozo was a teacher living on Staten Island during the Civil War and the draft riots. His mother was a freed slave of mixed ancestry.

Sometime after the draft riots Thomas wrote an open letter to the Richmond County Gazette, a local newspaper, at the behest of the African American Community (see image below).

Thomas W. Cardozo went on to become the first African American to run for Sheriff in Pasquotank County, North Carolina in 1870. After leaving North Carolina he went to Mississippi to become the first African American Superintendent of public schools.

Read about Thomas Cardozo at: https://tinyurl.com/y254p2jv.

  • <p>Richmond County Gazette, July 24, 1865.</p>