A Marker for John West

John West's vote counted. Finally. In the 1870 election for sheriff, It came down to 419 votes for Bryon and 418 votes for Lindsey. One vote could make the difference between a victory or a tie. There was one ballot submitted by John West that had a special status.

West was a legal voter, and he had spelled the candidate's name right. So why was his vote initially denied? Because he was, as the papers would say at that time, a colored man. Poll workers initially denied him the vote for that reason, probably because they did not know that the 15th Amendment to the Constitution had been ratified in February of that year. That amendment reads, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

The election judges determined that West's vote was legitimate. He had written in Bryon's name, giving the new sheriff 420 votes.

When he died at age 80, John West was remembered by the Idaho Statesman as "the dean of colored pioneers in Idaho."

He is buried in an unmarked grave in Morris Hill Cemetery. We want to provide a marker for Mr. West that will pique people's curiosity in the future so that they learn more about him. Boise Valley Monument has agreed to provide the monument at cost. Any money raised beyond the price to place a stone will go to the Idaho Black History Museum.

Thanks for helping us preserve this important part of Idaho's history.