Mentor Dotson Explained

Mentor Dotson
Office:	Alabama House of Representatives for Sumter County, Alabama
Term Start:	1872
Term End:	1874
Birth Place:	Georgia, U.S.
Relations:	Helen Elsie Austin (grandchild)

Mentor Dotson (–?),^[1] was an American politician, teacher, minister, and storekeeper. As a state legislator he represented Sumter County, Alabama in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1872–1874.^[2] He has been noted as Minter Dotson, Minter Dawson, and Minter Dodson.

He was Black and born enslaved around 1837 or 1838 in Georgia. His November 19, 1872 election certificate was reproduced in a cookbook published by the National Council of Negro Women in 2000.^[3]

Mary Louise Dotson was his daughter; she worked at Tuskegee Institute and was married George James Austin.^[4] Their children included Helen Elsie Austin.

See also

• African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era

Notes and References

1. Book: Foner, Eric . Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction . 1996-08-01 . LSU Press . 978-0-8071-2082-8 . 64 . en.
2. Book: Representatives, Alabama Legislature House of . Journal of the House of Representatives, State of Alabama . 1873 . 176 . en.
3. Book: Thurman . Sue Bailey . The Historical Cookbook of the American Negro . Bower . Anne . Women . National Council of Negro . 2000 . Beacon Press . 978-0-8070-0964-2 . 153 . en.
4. Book: Neely, Ruth . Women of Ohio: A Record of Their Achievements in the History of the State . 1939 . S. J. Clarke Publishing Company . 119 . en.