James D. Black
Encyclopedia
James Dixon Black was the 39th Governor of Kentucky
, serving for seven months in 1919. He ascended to the office when Governor Augustus O. Stanley
was elected to the U.S. Senate
.
Black graduated from Tusculum College
in 1872 and taught school while studying law. He was admitted to the bar
in 1874 and opened his legal practice in Barbourville, Kentucky
. Eventually, his son and son-in-law became partners in his practice. Deeply interested in education, he served as superintendent
of the Knox County
public schools for two years, and was instrumental in the founding of Union College
in Barbourville. He served as president of the college from 1910 to 1912.
Black was chosen as the Democratic
nominee for lieutenant governor
in 1915, despite having only meager previous political experience. He was elected on a ticket with Augustus O. Stanley and was elevated to governor when Stanley resigned to take a seat in the U.S. Senate. Much of his seven months as governor were spent on his re-election campaign. He was unable to satisfactorily answer charges of corruption made against the Stanley administration by his opponent, Edwin P. Morrow
. Morrow won the election by more than 40,000 votes. Black returned to his legal practice in Barbourville and served as president of a bank founded by his older brother. He was campaign manager for Alben Barkley's senatorial campaign when he died of pneumonia
on August 5, 1938.
on Richland Creek in Knox County, Kentucky
. He was the youngest of twelve children born to John Craig and Clarissa "Cassie" (Jones) Black. Black's brother, Isaac J. Black, was captain of the 49th Kentucky Mounted Infantry
in the Union Army
during the Civil War
.
Black was educated in the rural and subscription schools in and around Barbourville. In 1872, he graduated from Tusculum College
near Greeneville, Tennessee
with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After college, Black returned to Knox County where he taught in the public schools for two years. Concurrently, he studied law, and was admitted to the bar
in August 1874. He opened his legal practice in Barbourville.
Black married Mary Jeanette "Nettie" Pitzer on December 2, 1875 in Barbourville. The couple had three children: Pitzer Dixon, Gertrude Dawn, and Georgia Clarice. All were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
. Pitzer Black graduated from Centre College
in Danville, Kentucky
, then studied law at the University of Virginia
. After being admitted to the bar, he became a partner in his father's law firm. Georgia Black married H. H. Owens, who also became a partner in the Barbourville firm of Black, Black, and Owens.
counties in the Kentucky House of Representatives
in 1876. A Democrat
representing a district with a majority of Republican
voters, he served a single, one-year term.
In 1879, Black and other citizens of Barbourville purchased stock to fund the start up of a new college in Barbourville. Black insisted that the college be named Union College
, because he hoped the college would unify the community. He continued to be involved in the development of the college, serving as its attorney and as a fund-raiser. Deeply interested in education, he also served as superintendent
of the Knox County public schools in 1884 and 1885, but returned to his law practice thereafter.
A long-time Freemason
, Black served as master of his local lodge on seven different occasions, was twice high priest of the Barbourville Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons
, and was chosen Grand Master
of Kentucky in 1888. In 1893, he was chosen by Kentucky governor John Y. Brown as a commissioner to the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition
, representing Kentucky's forestry and mineral departments.
On September 10, 1910, Black was named the fourth president of Union College. The following year, his alma mater awarded him an honorary
Doctor of Laws degree. He served as president of Union College until 1912.
. Black was pro-temperance
, and was chosen to balance the ticket with Augustus O. Stanley
, who opposed prohibition
. While Black defeated his opponent, Lewis L. Walker
, by more than 8,000 votes, Stanley bested Republican Edwin P. Morrow
by only 421 votes, the closest gubernatorial election in the state's history.
Though Stanley and Black won the election, they never became political allies. At the time of their election and service, the Kentucky Constitution
prescribed that the lieutenant governor would act as governor any time the governor left the state. Consequently, Stanley refused to travel out of state on vacation because he feared he would not approve of anyone Black would appoint to any unfilled governmental offices while he was gone.
Black ascended to the governorship on May 19, 1919 when Governor Stanley resigned to assume a seat in the U.S. Senate. His pro-temperance stand cost him many of Stanley's supporters, while his association with Stanley, a prohibition opponent, caused his support to wane among prohibitionists. There was no legislative session of the General Assembly
during Black's term, so potential conflicts with the legislature were avoided.
Black immediately faced accusations of poor appointments by Stanley. The School Textbook Commission was singled out for particular criticism. The Kentucky Court of Appeals
had ruled that the Commission acted illegally in selecting textbooks submitted in dummy form. Black called on the commissioners to resign, but when they refused, he claimed he had no power to remove them except for fraud or corruption. The Louisville Courier-Journal pointed out that Black could replace any Stanley appointees that had not yet been confirmed by the Senate
, but Black refused to do so. Some believed that Black had agreed to retain Stanley's appointees in exchange for Stanley's support of Black's re-election campaign.
The settlement of state inheritance tax
es on two estates also plagued Black. In the first case, Governor Stanley had made a compromise settlement of back taxes with L. V. Harkness before his death. The compromise was criticized, and although Black asked the attorney general to investigate, the case was not decided during Black's tenure as governor. In the second case, Stanley had appointed three special attorneys to collect inheritance taxes from the estate of Mrs. Robert Worth Bingham
. Black wanted the attorneys to resign and save the state their large fees, but refused to remove them outright. This action was made more damning because one of the attorneys was a member of Black's campaign staff.
In 1919, Black was chosen as the Democratic gubernatorial nominee over John D. Carroll, chief justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals
, by more than 20,000 votes. The Republicans again nominated Edwin P. Morrow, who implored voters to "Right the Wrong of 1915". Since Black had very little record as governor in his own right, Morrow campaigned against him by attacking Stanley's administration as corrupt. Morrow cited as evidence the tax cases of Mr. Harkness and Mrs. Bingham and Black's inaction against the State Textbook Commission.
Black tried to remain positive in his race, and focused on national issues rather than defending Stanley's administration. He touted his support of President
Woodrow Wilson
and declared his support for the United States' admission into the League of Nations
. His support of Wilson hurt him with German American
voters, and Wilson's handling of recent coal strikes hurt Black with the traditionally Democratic labor
vote.
Days before the election, Morrow exposed a contract approved by the state Board of Control to purchase cloth from a man named A. S. J. Armstrong at twice its normal price. Black responded to the allegation by temporarily suspending his campaign and ordering an investigation. The investigation revealed that Armstrong was a plumber who was bidding on behalf of his brother-in-law, a former prison official in the Stanley administration. Despite this revelation, Black refused to remove members of the Board of Control. This issue finally sank Black's candidacy; Morrow won the election by more than 40,000 votes.
In his final days in office, Black considered many requests for executive clemency. On December 1, 1919, he issued a pardon for Henry Youtsey, a recent parolee who had served eighteen years for conspiracy in the assassination of Governor William Goebel
.
In 1918, while still serving as lieutenant governor, Black had assumed the presidency of the John A. Black National Bank of Barbourville, named for and founded by his older brother. He became chief prohibition inspector for Kentucky in 1920. Later, he served as director of the Barbourville Cemetery Company. While working as Ninth Congressional District
campaign manager for Senator Alben Barkley in 1938, Black developed pneumonia
and died on August 5, 1938. He is entombed in a mausoleum
at Barbourville Cemetery.
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
, serving for seven months in 1919. He ascended to the office when Governor Augustus O. Stanley
Augustus O. Stanley
Augustus Owsley Stanley I was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. A Democrat, he served as the 38th Governor of Kentucky and also represented the state in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate...
was elected to the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
.
Black graduated from Tusculum College
Tusculum College
Tusculum College is a coeducational private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church , with its main campus in Tusculum, Tennessee, United States, a suburb of Greeneville...
in 1872 and taught school while studying law. He was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1874 and opened his legal practice in Barbourville, Kentucky
Barbourville, Kentucky
Each year in early October, Barbourville hosts the Daniel Boone Festival commemorating the American pioneer Daniel Boone who explored the area in 1775. The festival features open air concerts, carnival attractions, a beauty pageant, a parade, and other events....
. Eventually, his son and son-in-law became partners in his practice. Deeply interested in education, he served as superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the Knox County
Knox County, Kentucky
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 31,795. Its county seat is Barbourville. The county is named for General Henry Knox...
public schools for two years, and was instrumental in the founding of Union College
Union College (Kentucky)
Union College is a four-year private college located in Barbourville, Kentucky. The college, founded in 1879, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Union College is a small liberal arts college in the Appalachian Mountains...
in Barbourville. He served as president of the college from 1910 to 1912.
Black was chosen as the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
The office of lieutenant governor of Kentucky has existed under the last three of Kentucky's four constitutions, beginning in 1797. The lieutenant governor serves as governor of Kentucky under circumstances similar to the Vice President of the United States assuming the powers of the presidency...
in 1915, despite having only meager previous political experience. He was elected on a ticket with Augustus O. Stanley and was elevated to governor when Stanley resigned to take a seat in the U.S. Senate. Much of his seven months as governor were spent on his re-election campaign. He was unable to satisfactorily answer charges of corruption made against the Stanley administration by his opponent, Edwin P. Morrow
Edwin P. Morrow
Edwin Porch Morrow was an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Kentucky from 1919 to 1923. He was the only Republican elected to this office between 1907 and 1927. He championed the typical Republican causes of his day, namely equal rights for African-Americans and the use of...
. Morrow won the election by more than 40,000 votes. Black returned to his legal practice in Barbourville and served as president of a bank founded by his older brother. He was campaign manager for Alben Barkley's senatorial campaign when he died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
on August 5, 1938.
Early life and family
James Dixon Black was born on September 24, 1849 nine miles from BarbourvilleBarbourville, Kentucky
Each year in early October, Barbourville hosts the Daniel Boone Festival commemorating the American pioneer Daniel Boone who explored the area in 1775. The festival features open air concerts, carnival attractions, a beauty pageant, a parade, and other events....
on Richland Creek in Knox County, Kentucky
Knox County, Kentucky
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 31,795. Its county seat is Barbourville. The county is named for General Henry Knox...
. He was the youngest of twelve children born to John Craig and Clarissa "Cassie" (Jones) Black. Black's brother, Isaac J. Black, was captain of the 49th Kentucky Mounted Infantry
49th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Mounted Infantry
The 49th Kentucky Volunteer Mounted Infantry Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Black was educated in the rural and subscription schools in and around Barbourville. In 1872, he graduated from Tusculum College
Tusculum College
Tusculum College is a coeducational private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church , with its main campus in Tusculum, Tennessee, United States, a suburb of Greeneville...
near Greeneville, Tennessee
Greeneville, Tennessee
Greeneville is a town in Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 15,198 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Greene County. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene. It is the only town with this spelling in the United States, although there...
with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After college, Black returned to Knox County where he taught in the public schools for two years. Concurrently, he studied law, and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in August 1874. He opened his legal practice in Barbourville.
Black married Mary Jeanette "Nettie" Pitzer on December 2, 1875 in Barbourville. The couple had three children: Pitzer Dixon, Gertrude Dawn, and Georgia Clarice. All were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
. Pitzer Black graduated from Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
in Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, then studied law at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. After being admitted to the bar, he became a partner in his father's law firm. Georgia Black married H. H. Owens, who also became a partner in the Barbourville firm of Black, Black, and Owens.
Educational career
Black was elected to represent Knox and WhitleyWhitley County, Kentucky
Whitley County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. 2005 census projections list its population at 38,029 . The county seat is at Williamsburg, though the largest city is Corbin, and the county's District Court sits in both cities...
counties in the Kentucky House of Representatives
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve...
in 1876. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
representing a district with a majority of Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
voters, he served a single, one-year term.
In 1879, Black and other citizens of Barbourville purchased stock to fund the start up of a new college in Barbourville. Black insisted that the college be named Union College
Union College (Kentucky)
Union College is a four-year private college located in Barbourville, Kentucky. The college, founded in 1879, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Union College is a small liberal arts college in the Appalachian Mountains...
, because he hoped the college would unify the community. He continued to be involved in the development of the college, serving as its attorney and as a fund-raiser. Deeply interested in education, he also served as superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the Knox County public schools in 1884 and 1885, but returned to his law practice thereafter.
A long-time Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, Black served as master of his local lodge on seven different occasions, was twice high priest of the Barbourville Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons
Royal Arch Masonry
Royal Arch Masonry is the term used to denote the first part of the York Rite system of Masonic degrees. Royal Arch Masons meet as a Chapter, and the Chapter confers four degrees: Mark Master Mason, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason.-Chapter level:A Chapter is in many ways...
, and was chosen Grand Master
Grand Master (Masonic)
In Freemasonry a Grand Master is the leader of the lodges within his Masonic jurisdiction. He presides over a Grand Lodge, and has certain rights in the constituent lodges that form his jurisdiction....
of Kentucky in 1888. In 1893, he was chosen by Kentucky governor John Y. Brown as a commissioner to the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
, representing Kentucky's forestry and mineral departments.
On September 10, 1910, Black was named the fourth president of Union College. The following year, his alma mater awarded him an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of Laws degree. He served as president of Union College until 1912.
Political career
Black returned to politics in 1912 when he became Kentucky's first assistant attorney general. In 1915, he was chosen as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governorLieutenant Governor of Kentucky
The office of lieutenant governor of Kentucky has existed under the last three of Kentucky's four constitutions, beginning in 1797. The lieutenant governor serves as governor of Kentucky under circumstances similar to the Vice President of the United States assuming the powers of the presidency...
. Black was pro-temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
, and was chosen to balance the ticket with Augustus O. Stanley
Augustus O. Stanley
Augustus Owsley Stanley I was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. A Democrat, he served as the 38th Governor of Kentucky and also represented the state in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate...
, who opposed prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
. While Black defeated his opponent, Lewis L. Walker
Lewis L. Walker
Lewis Leavell Walker was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Lancaster, Kentucky, Walker attended Lancaster Academy, Garrard College, Lancaster, Kentucky, and Central University, Richmond, Kentucky....
, by more than 8,000 votes, Stanley bested Republican Edwin P. Morrow
Edwin P. Morrow
Edwin Porch Morrow was an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Kentucky from 1919 to 1923. He was the only Republican elected to this office between 1907 and 1927. He championed the typical Republican causes of his day, namely equal rights for African-Americans and the use of...
by only 421 votes, the closest gubernatorial election in the state's history.
Kentucky Constitution
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the document that governs the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was first adopted in 1792 and has since been rewritten three times and amended many more...
prescribed that the lieutenant governor would act as governor any time the governor left the state. Consequently, Stanley refused to travel out of state on vacation because he feared he would not approve of anyone Black would appoint to any unfilled governmental offices while he was gone.
Black ascended to the governorship on May 19, 1919 when Governor Stanley resigned to assume a seat in the U.S. Senate. His pro-temperance stand cost him many of Stanley's supporters, while his association with Stanley, a prohibition opponent, caused his support to wane among prohibitionists. There was no legislative session of the General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
during Black's term, so potential conflicts with the legislature were avoided.
Black immediately faced accusations of poor appointments by Stanley. The School Textbook Commission was singled out for particular criticism. The Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
had ruled that the Commission acted illegally in selecting textbooks submitted in dummy form. Black called on the commissioners to resign, but when they refused, he claimed he had no power to remove them except for fraud or corruption. The Louisville Courier-Journal pointed out that Black could replace any Stanley appointees that had not yet been confirmed by the Senate
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
, but Black refused to do so. Some believed that Black had agreed to retain Stanley's appointees in exchange for Stanley's support of Black's re-election campaign.
The settlement of state inheritance tax
Inheritance tax
An inheritance tax or estate tax is a levy paid by a person who inherits money or property or a tax on the estate of a person who has died...
es on two estates also plagued Black. In the first case, Governor Stanley had made a compromise settlement of back taxes with L. V. Harkness before his death. The compromise was criticized, and although Black asked the attorney general to investigate, the case was not decided during Black's tenure as governor. In the second case, Stanley had appointed three special attorneys to collect inheritance taxes from the estate of Mrs. Robert Worth Bingham
Robert Worth Bingham
Robert Worth Bingham was a politician, judge, newspaper publisher and United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He attended the University of North Carolina and University of Virginia but did not graduate. He moved to Louisville in the 1890s and received a law degree from the University of...
. Black wanted the attorneys to resign and save the state their large fees, but refused to remove them outright. This action was made more damning because one of the attorneys was a member of Black's campaign staff.
In 1919, Black was chosen as the Democratic gubernatorial nominee over John D. Carroll, chief justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
, by more than 20,000 votes. The Republicans again nominated Edwin P. Morrow, who implored voters to "Right the Wrong of 1915". Since Black had very little record as governor in his own right, Morrow campaigned against him by attacking Stanley's administration as corrupt. Morrow cited as evidence the tax cases of Mr. Harkness and Mrs. Bingham and Black's inaction against the State Textbook Commission.
Black tried to remain positive in his race, and focused on national issues rather than defending Stanley's administration. He touted his support of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
and declared his support for the United States' admission into the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. His support of Wilson hurt him with German American
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
voters, and Wilson's handling of recent coal strikes hurt Black with the traditionally Democratic labor
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
vote.
Days before the election, Morrow exposed a contract approved by the state Board of Control to purchase cloth from a man named A. S. J. Armstrong at twice its normal price. Black responded to the allegation by temporarily suspending his campaign and ordering an investigation. The investigation revealed that Armstrong was a plumber who was bidding on behalf of his brother-in-law, a former prison official in the Stanley administration. Despite this revelation, Black refused to remove members of the Board of Control. This issue finally sank Black's candidacy; Morrow won the election by more than 40,000 votes.
In his final days in office, Black considered many requests for executive clemency. On December 1, 1919, he issued a pardon for Henry Youtsey, a recent parolee who had served eighteen years for conspiracy in the assassination of Governor William Goebel
William Goebel
William Justus Goebel was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Kentucky for a few days in 1900 after having been mortally wounded by an assassin the day before he was sworn in...
.
In 1918, while still serving as lieutenant governor, Black had assumed the presidency of the John A. Black National Bank of Barbourville, named for and founded by his older brother. He became chief prohibition inspector for Kentucky in 1920. Later, he served as director of the Barbourville Cemetery Company. While working as Ninth Congressional District
Kentucky's 9th congressional district
United States House of Representatives, Kentucky District 9 was a district of the United States Congress in Kentucky. It was lost to redistricting in 1953. Its last Representative was James S. Golden.-List of representatives:-References:*...
campaign manager for Senator Alben Barkley in 1938, Black developed pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and died on August 5, 1938. He is entombed in a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
at Barbourville Cemetery.