William Calvin Chase
| William Calvin Chase | |
|---|---|
Sketch of Chase in the Bee in 1892.
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| Born |
February 2, 1854 Washington, DC |
| Died | January 3, 1921 (aged 66) Washington, DC |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | |
William Calvin Chase (February 2, 1854–January 3, 1921) was an African-American lawyer and newspaper editor. A native of Washington, D.C., he attended Howard University. As well as gaining admission to the bar, he edited the Washington Bee, a weekly newspaper, from 1882 until his death.
Chase was born to free African-American parents in Washington, D.C. February 2, 1854. He had five siblings. His Maryland-born father, William H. Chase, an expert blacksmith, wash shot and killed in his shop in 1863. Before his father's death, he attended the private school of John F. Cook. Thereafter, young Chase was raised by his Virginia-born mother, Lucinda seaton. He was forced to leave school and he began to sell newspapers and became known among many newspaper offices in Washington. At eleven he was hired to sell hats for Holley & Brother in Methuen, Massachusetts, where he attended more school. He soon moved back to Washington and returned to work as a newsboy. He left public schools and entered the Howard University Model School, "B" class and then went to Howard University. A boy during the administration of Abraham Lincoln, he became a lifelong member of the Republican Party. Chase married Arabella McCabe in January 28, 1886, and the couple had a son, William Calvin, Jr. and Beatriz, both of whom eventually worked at the Bee.
As a student at Howard, he also worked as a clerk in the government printing office. He held that position for two years, when he was passed over for a position because he was black. He left the office and filed charges against the public printer, Almon M. Clapp. In 1875, Chase became Washington correspondent of the Boston Observer, which went out of business in 1879. Next, Chase worked at the Washington Plain Dealer. Chase desired to gain another political appointment. Frederick Douglass was at that time United States Marshal and initially desired to have Chase work in his office. Clapp contacted Douglass and asked Douglass to instead block Chase's appointment, which he did. Chase then started attacking Douglass in his writing, but the pair eventually reconciled and became close friends. Chase then was an writer at the Argus edited by Charles N. Otey. When Otey retired, Chase was made editor and G. W. Graham the papers business manager. Graham changed its name to the Free Lance but Chase was chased out when the paper was sold to a group whom Chase had criticized. Finally, in 1882, Chase moved to the Washington Bee. Within the first year of the founding of the Washington Bee, Chase became its editor and remained in that role until his death in 1921. Chase continued to seek public appointment. In 1881, Douglass was appointed Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia and shortly after joining the Bee, Chase was finally appointed by Douglass to a clerkship in his office. In this office, Chase wrote a criticism of G. W. Williams, History of the Negro Race and another criticism of R. Purvis, both of which caused controversies.
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