langston's brother insured he received a good education, and graduated from oberlin college and becameour nations first black attorneys and first black elected officials. he was the town clerk in ohio. as an abolitionist, langston risked his life to assist those escaping slavery along the underground railroad. as a patriot, he joined frederick douglass and other abolitionists to recruit black men to fight for the union and turn the tide of the civil war. as an educator, he helped establish howard universitys law school's howard university law school, the nation's first black howard university law school, the nation's first black law school. langston also served as the first president of what today is virginia state university in petersburg. >> langston was encouraged by both whites and blacks to run for the u.s. health the u.s. house of representatives in 1888. it was first thought that he lost, but he contested the results. he was eventually declared the winner, and he took his seat in 1890, only able to serve the few remaining months in his term. he lost his bid for reelection, but h