Thomas Mundy was born in Metuchen, New Jersey back in 1824 to Thomas and Lucy. From 1870 to 1878 he was a school principal. In his spare time, he was a handyman in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He was appointed to be a member of a committee that made amendments that was approved by the State Legislature in 1871.
For his work, he was awarded a gold medal. Later in life he fell on hard times and was forced to pawn that medal. It is now being housed at the University of Louisiana. He died in 1904 at 79.
What you may not know about Thomas Mundy Peterson is that he was born a slave, manumitted at 21. He was the first African-American to hold office on the Middlesex County Commission, the first “colored” person to serve on a jury. However, what he is most noted for is that he was the first African-American to vote in an election under the 15th Amendment of the United States Constitution, casting the vote on March 31, 1870. Until tomorrow keep that smile on your face. Just think of all the knowledge you learn each day here in the Rain.
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