James M. Alexander

James Milo Alexander (February 7, 1815May 27, 1871) was an African-American businessperson and politician in Phillips County, Arkansas. Alexander was a successful businessperson and the first African-American justice of the peace in Arkansas.

Born into slavery in North Carolina, his enslaver taught him how to read and write. After moving to Arkansas, which was then a frontier region, Alexander's master allowed him to establish his own business, a barbershop. Though his business prospered and grew to include the sale of dry goods, he remained in bondage until purchasing his freedom and that of several family members in 1860. Provided by Wikipedia