John L. Waller

John Lewis Waller (January 12, 1850 – 1907) was an African-American lawyer, politician, journalist, publisher, businessman, military leader, and diplomat whose rise culminated in his becoming the United States consul to Madagascar. He was the grandfather of Negro World editor, poet, composer, and lyricist Andy Razaf.

Waller was born to enslaved parents in New Madrid County, Missouri. At the end of the American Civil War, he moved with his family to a farm in Tama County, Iowa. Waller's formal education, begun in 1863, ended with his graduation from high school in Toledo, Iowa.

Political career

Waller entered politics while living in Iowa. While living in Cedar Rapids and working as a barber, he was permitted to use the law library of Judge N.M. Hubbard.

Waller passed the bar in October of 1877. On May 1st of the next year, he moved to Topeka, Kansas, in response to "Pap" Singleton's call for African-Americans to colonize the state.

Publisher

On March 10, 1882, Waller founded the Western Recorder; the newspaper continued publication until 1885 in Lawrence, Kansas. In Topeka, Kansas, during February of 1888, Waller and his cousin Anthony Morton established The American Citizen.