Osceola Enoch McKaine (December 18, 1892 – November 17, 1955) was an American public speaker, businessman, civil rights activist and political candidate.[1] He was a candidate for US Senate in 1944 as part of a Black-led splinter challenge to the Democratic Party.[2]
Early life and education
McKaine was born in Sumter, South Carolina.[2]: 358 He had a half-brother, Ansley Abraham.[3] He graduated from Lincoln Graded School in 1908.[1]
Career
After working as a merchant marine, he served in the US Army's 24th Infantry then its 367th Infantry[2] during World War I, traveling to the Philippines, Mexico and France, earning the rank of lieutenant.[3] He returned to the US and resided in New York City, where he was "a leading voice and an organizing force"[2]: 358 for the League for Democracy (LFD), a militant organization of black veterans.[4] making public speeches and working as editor of its newspaper, New York Commoner.[2]: 358–59
McKaine relocated to Ghent, Belgium, and owned and operated a supper club / nightclub[3] with a partner. Because of World War II, he returned to his hometown, Sumter, South Carolina, where he headed the local branch of the NAACP.[4]
He conducted a survey to report the disparity of white and black teachers' salaries.[3] He continued to find ways to reduce the unfairness of the disparity which resulted in legal actions that involved Thurgood Marshall.[5]
McKaine was an associate editor of the Lighthouse and Informer, a black newspaper. He was the candidate for US Senate for the offshoot political party, the Progressive Democratic Party (organized by McKaine and Lighthouse and Informer''s John McCray),[5] making him the first black candidate to run for statewide office since Reconstruction.[3] Though unsuccessful against the state's sitting governor Olin Johnston, the candidacy brought attention to the black vote,[3] boosting black voter rolls during the 1940s from 3,500 to 50,000 people.[5]
He was involved in other organizations such as the Southern Negro Youth Congress (SNYC) and the Southern Conference of Human Welfare (SCHW)—its first (and only) black field representative.[6]
McKaine returned to Belgium to his supper club work after World War II.
Personal life
McKaine spoke four languages.[3]
He died in Brussels, Belgium, at age 62[3] and was buried in his hometown, Sumter, South Carolina, at Walker Cemetery.