Thomas Mundy Peterson: The First African American to Vote | New Jersey: Then and Now

In 1870, Thomas Mundy Peterson became the first African American to vote in the United States. He did so at Perth Amboy City Hall in New Jersey—the oldest city hall still in use in the country. This lesson will provide a background on Perth Amboy City Hall, and a biography of Thomas Mundy Peterson. Students will use this story to discuss the larger impact of the Fifteenth Amendment.

This video clip is from the archives of the New Jersey Network. For more New Jersey social studies content, please visit the New Jersey: Then and Now collection.