Register of the US Treasury. President Taft appointed Napier as the Register of the United States Treasury in 1911. He is one of only 5 black Americans to have their signatures appear on U.S. currency.

***************************

James Carroll Napier was an African-American born into slavery on June 9, 1845 in Nashville, Tennessee. In spite of this fact, he went on to become a successful American businessman, lawyer, politician and civil rights leader who spent most of his life in Nashville. He was one of four African-American politicians appointed to a high government position under President William Howard Taft, sometimes referred to as "Taft's Black Cabinet." The position for which he was appointed by Taft was the Register of the Treasury.

He was instrumental in founding civic institutions in Nashville to benefit the African-American business community and to benefit educational opportunities for residents.

Napier was born to slaves, William Carol Napier and Jane Elizabeth Napier, who, at that time were both owned by Dr. Elias Napier in Davidson County, Tennessee. Ironically, Napier was born one day after the death of president Andrew Jackson. His father was mixed-race, the son of his white master, Dr. Elias, Napier, and an enslaved mother named Judy. The Napier family was granted freedom in 1848 following the death of their master.

Napier received an excellent education as a child and later went on to earn a law degree from Howard University in 1872. As an attorney, he became an influential figure in the city of Nashville. He was elected to the Nashville City Council and the Tennessee Republican Executive Committee. He was elected as the first African-American president of the City Council. He worked to hire African-American teachers for the black public schools in the segregated system at that time, and to organize the black fire engine company to serve black residents. Because of his work in Nashville, and his association with Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute, Napier became a highly influential African-American leader.

in 1905, Napier founded a chapter in Nashville of the National Negro Business League, which had been organized in Washington D.C. five years before; Napier served as president of the local chapter. In 1904, he co-founded the One Cent Savings Bank (later renamed the Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company). He served on the boards of Fisk University, a historically black college located in the city, and Howard University. He was also instrumental in getting legislative approval to found Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College, later known as Tennessee State University, a historically black college. He later served on the board of the Nashville Housing Authority, the first black person to do so.

Napier was granted an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Fisk University in Nashville. In 1971, the Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County erected a historical marker in the city to commemorate Napier's many accomplishments. The J.C. Napier homes, a housing project, operated by MDHA, the successor to the Nashville Housing Authority, is named in his honor. Napier's housing project and historical plaque are located at the intersection of Lafayette Street and Claiborne Street in Nashville.

Napier was married to Nettie DeElla Langston on October 2, 1878 in Washington D.C. while attending law school. Nettie was the daughter of John Mercer Langston and Caroline Langston. Her father was the founder and the first dean of the Howard University School of Law.

Napier and his wife Nettie never had children of their own, however, they adopted a daughter, Carye Cornelia Langston Napier (1894-1918), who was Nettie's niece from her brother Frank Mercer Langston and his wife India.

Napier's extensive accolades are far too numerous to be mentioned in any single article but most of them can be viewed throughout various sources on the internet, libraries, newspapers and magazines. One of the many things, however, that were rarely mentioned about Napier's life was the fact that he boldly resigned his position in 1913 as Register of the Treasury in protest to Democrat President Woodrow Wilson's re-implementation of racial segregation for federal employees.

James Napier died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 94 years on April 21, 1940 following a five month illness. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Nashville.

Register of the US Treasury. President Taft appointed Napier as the Register of the United States Treasury in 1911. He is one of only 5 black Americans to have their signatures appear on U.S. currency.

***************************

James Carroll Napier was an African-American born into slavery on June 9, 1845 in Nashville, Tennessee. In spite of this fact, he went on to become a successful American businessman, lawyer, politician and civil rights leader who spent most of his life in Nashville. He was one of four African-American politicians appointed to a high government position under President William Howard Taft, sometimes referred to as "Taft's Black Cabinet." The position for which he was appointed by Taft was the Register of the Treasury.

He was instrumental in founding civic institutions in Nashville to benefit the African-American business community and to benefit educational opportunities for residents.

Napier was born to slaves, William Carol Napier and Jane Elizabeth Napier, who, at that time were both owned by Dr. Elias Napier in Davidson County, Tennessee. Ironically, Napier was born one day after the death of president Andrew Jackson. His father was mixed-race, the son of his white master, Dr. Elias, Napier, and an enslaved mother named Judy. The Napier family was granted freedom in 1848 following the death of their master.

Napier received an excellent education as a child and later went on to earn a law degree from Howard University in 1872. As an attorney, he became an influential figure in the city of Nashville. He was elected to the Nashville City Council and the Tennessee Republican Executive Committee. He was elected as the first African-American president of the City Council. He worked to hire African-American teachers for the black public schools in the segregated system at that time, and to organize the black fire engine company to serve black residents. Because of his work in Nashville, and his association with Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute, Napier became a highly influential African-American leader.

in 1905, Napier founded a chapter in Nashville of the National Negro Business League, which had been organized in Washington D.C. five years before; Napier served as president of the local chapter. In 1904, he co-founded the One Cent Savings Bank (later renamed the Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company). He served on the boards of Fisk University, a historically black college located in the city, and Howard University. He was also instrumental in getting legislative approval to found Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College, later known as Tennessee State University, a historically black college. He later served on the board of the Nashville Housing Authority, the first black person to do so.

Napier was granted an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Fisk University in Nashville. In 1971, the Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County erected a historical marker in the city to commemorate Napier's many accomplishments. The J.C. Napier homes, a housing project, operated by MDHA, the successor to the Nashville Housing Authority, is named in his honor. Napier's housing project and historical plaque are located at the intersection of Lafayette Street and Claiborne Street in Nashville.

Napier was married to Nettie DeElla Langston on October 2, 1878 in Washington D.C. while attending law school. Nettie was the daughter of John Mercer Langston and Caroline Langston. Her father was the founder and the first dean of the Howard University School of Law.

Napier and his wife Nettie never had children of their own, however, they adopted a daughter, Carye Cornelia Langston Napier (1894-1918), who was Nettie's niece from her brother Frank Mercer Langston and his wife India.

Napier's extensive accolades are far too numerous to be mentioned in any single article but most of them can be viewed throughout various sources on the internet, libraries, newspapers and magazines. One of the many things, however, that were rarely mentioned about Napier's life was the fact that he boldly resigned his position in 1913 as Register of the Treasury in protest to Democrat President Woodrow Wilson's re-implementation of racial segregation for federal employees.

James Napier died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 94 years on April 21, 1940 following a five month illness. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Nashville.