Alexander Bryant (1852-1944)

Alexander (Alex) Bryant was born enslaved on January 14, 1852, the human property of Dr. John Bryant Sr. (1816-1902), in Independence, Missouri. He did not discover his birth date and year until 1913, when he met a KU medical student from Independence and “became interested in his former owners and decided to go back and visit them.” John Bryant, his wife Martha Ann (Vaughn), and four children had moved from Jessamine County, Kentucky, in 1850 and settled on a farm at 907 South Main Street, where enslaved people raised crops and cattle, while Dr. Bryant practiced medicine. Alex was born to enslaved parents, Elbert and an unnamed mother, in a log cabin behind this house. Sometime later, he and his parents were sold and traded for thirteen acres on property later owned by Rev. Alexander Procter, who ministered the First Christian Church (1860-1900). In June 1913, Dr. John Bryant Jr. (1843-1921) took his father’s former slave Alexander for a long drive in his automobile showing him sites all around Independence. ¹

Alex Bryant married Ruth (Ruby) (1854-1944) on December 21, 1874 and settled in Lawrence, where they raised at least seven children: John (1875-1930), Viola (Franklin) (1876-1964), Edward (1876-19??), Oscar (1878-19??), Luther (1880-?), Walter (1883-1905), and Margie (Holloway) (1884-1962). ² Initially, the family lived at 1320 New Jersey street, before moving to 827 Garfield off Delaware street, while Alex worked various jobs as a janitor, farmer, carpet man, and porter. ³

Beginning in 1880, Mr. Bryant became active as a Third Ward delegate in the Republican party with other Black men. ⁴ As a charter member and officer of Western Star Lodge, No. 1, Knights of Pythias, he was elected its Grand Chancellor around 1886. ⁵ To celebrate the 29th anniversary of Lincoln’s initial Emancipation Proclamation, he helped arrange a grand picnic on September 22, 1891, for Black families and students at Starrett’s grove in North Lawrence. ⁶ Eight years later, his beloved father Elbert (1829-1899), also a Pythian Knight, died in Topeka and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery (Sec. 9, row E, Grave 6). ⁷ Notably, in 1896, Alex Bryant served as a trustee of the Kansas Ex-Slaves’ Pension Association with J. Cyrus Richardson from Lawrence, along with thirteen other formerly enslaved men from Topeka, Wichita, Ottawa, Hutchinson, Fort Scott, and Clay Center. ⁸

Beginning on July 1, 1918, Mr. Bryant became a long-time janitor of Green Hall at KU. After doing various part-time jobs at KU since 1932, he decided he wanted full-time employment again. So, in July 1943, he applied to take a civil service examination and gave his age as 112, not remembering his birth year. Instead, the Board of Regents placed him on retirement with a salary of $18 per month (or $310 monthly in 2022 dollars) to care for his needs. ⁹ Nine months later, Alex Bryant passed away at age 94, having lost his wife Ruby one month earlier. In addition to two surviving daughters, Viola and Margie, this long-lived couple had enjoyed five grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren. ¹⁰