William H. Lewis

American football player

1868 – 1949

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Who was William H. Lewis?

William Henry Lewis was an African-American pioneer in athletics, politics and law. He was the first African-American college football player, the first in the sport to be selected as an All-American, the first to be appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney, the first to become a member of the American Bar Association, and the first to serve as United States Assistant Attorney General. When he was appointed Assistant Attorney General in 1910, it was reported to be "the highest office in an executive branch of the government ever held by a member of that race." Before being appointed as the Assistant Attorney General, Lewis also served for 12 years as a football coach at Harvard University and was a noted expert and author of works on the game.

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Born
Nov 28, 1868
Berkley
Also known as
  • William Lewis
Education
  • Virginia State University
  • Amherst College
  • Harvard Law School
Died
Jan 1, 1949
Boston

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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"William H. Lewis." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/william_h_lewis>.

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