Oscar Stanton De Priest

Oscar Stanton De Priest was an American Republican politician and civil rights advocate. He served as a U.S. Representative from the state of Illinois. During his three terms, he was the only African American serving in Congress.
De Priest proposed a law barring discrimination in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was program of the New Deal to employ people across the country in building infrastructure. His proposal was made a law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1929, De Priest made national news. First Lady Lou Hoover invited his wife, Jessie, to a traditional tea for congressional wives at the White House. In reaction several newspapers published a racist poem called "Niggers in the White House". The poem was first published when Booker T. Washington dined with President Theodore Roosevelt.