Anderson, William Louis
(born: August 31, 1868 - died: May 3, 1940)William L. Anderson was born in Dover or Augusta, KY. He was editor of several newspapers: the Cincinnati American Reformer (1892-1894), Rostrum (1897-1902), and the Cincinnati Pilot (1911-1912). He was also a publisher of books. Anderson also served as an alternate delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention in Chicago in 1912. He was the husband of Sarah Elizabeth Porter Anderson [source: U.S. Passport Application #448711].
In November of 1918, William L. Anderson applied for a passport to travel to France for YWCA work [source: U.S. Passport Application #43510], on the application, Anderson gave his birthdate as August 31, 1868. On a second application made July 2, 1924, Anderson gave his father's name as Louis Anderson, born in Dover, KY [source: U.S. Passport Application #448711]. His mother's name is given as Alethia Klientunk in the 1910 U.S. Census [Alethea Foley].
In 1924, William L. Anderson was to visit five European countries for business and travel, and return to the United States within three months. In 1930, Anderson and his wife lived on Stone Street, in Cincinnati, OH, and they later lived on Richmond Street in 1940, according to the U.S. Federal Census records.
William L. Anderson was thought to be the first African American member of the Elks, according to his death notice in the newspaper. He had been a candidate for the Cincinnati City Council. He was a member of the NAACP, and served as secretary of the McCall Colored Industrial School in Cincinnati. He served on the African American voters committees. He was Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias in Ohio, having served two terms.
William L. Anderson died in Cincinnati in 1940.
For more see Who's Who of the Colored Race, 1915; "William L. Anderson," The Enquirer (Cincinnati), 05/04/1940, p.9.