James Benjamin Parker
Parker in 1901
Born	(1857-07-31)July 31, 1857 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Died	April 13, 1907(1907-04-13) (aged 49) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Known for	Intervening in the shooting of William McKinley

James Benjamin Parker (July 31, 1857 – April 13, 1907)^[1] was an African-American man who became publicly known for his intervention in apprehending Leon Czolgosz when he shot President William McKinley on September 6, 1901. When Czolgosz fired two shots from a concealed gun, Parker knocked Czolgosz down before a third shot could be fired; his quick efforts may have temporarily saved President McKinley's life, which allowed McKinley to live until the next week. Parker was initially applauded for his actions,^[2] though he was also subject to controversy by witnesses who minimized or omitted his role on the color of his skin. After the McKinley assassination, Parker drifted around the United States before he was committed to Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry in 1907 where he died.^{[citation needed]}

James Benjamin Parker was born to enslaved parents on July 31, 1857, in Atlanta, Georgia. An American of African and Spanish descent,^{[citation needed]} Parker worked a variety of jobs including as a newspaper salesman for the Southern Recorder and as a constable. He later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he was employed as a waiter, before returning to Atlanta, where he appears in city directories as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service.^[3] This was followed by additional moves to Saratoga, New York, to New York City, and, finally, to Buffalo, New York, where he took a job with a catering company at the Pan-American Exposition's Plaza Restaurant.^[4][5]

Parker had been laid off from his job at the Plaza Restaurant prior to September 6, 1901, and used that day to visit the Exposition's Hall of Music, where President William McKinley was receiving members of the public.^[6]

The recent assassinations of European leaders by anarchists, and often virulent denouncements of McKinley in the newspapers of William Randolph Hearst, combined to concern McKinley's private secretary George B. Cortelyou that there might be an attempt on the president's life. Cortelyou arranged for tight security after the president twice refused to cancel his appearance. A contingent of up to 75 City of Buffalo police and exposition security guards monitored the doors to the Hall of Music and patrolled the queue waiting to see the president. Persons who made it far enough to approach McKinley finally had to pass through a cordon of U.S. Army soldiers who had been instructed to quickly surround anyone who appeared suspicious. Since the Spanish–American War, the United States Secret Service had been protecting McKinley, and two special agents, backed by several Buffalo police detectives, stood near the president.^[6][7]

There was, at the time, a general rule that anyone approaching the president must do so with their hands open and empty. However, the heat of the day meant this custom was not being enforced as many people were carrying handkerchiefs with which to wipe away perspiration.^[6] A long line of exposition attendees queued to meet the president. Leon Czolgosz, in front of Parker in the queue, used the heat to conceal a pistol underneath a handkerchief. As McKinley extended his hand, Czolgosz shot him in the abdomen twice at point blank range: the first bullet ricocheted off a coat button and lodged in McKinley's jacket while the other bullet pierced his stomach. As onlookers gazed in horror, and as McKinley lurched forward a step, Czolgosz prepared to take a third shot but was prevented from doing so when Parker, who had been behind Czolgosz in line, slammed into him, knocking the gun out of his hand. As Parker tackled Czolgosz, he was joined by Buffalo detective John Geary and artilleryman Francis O'Brien; all three men succeeded in restraining Czolgosz, who was badly pummeled by more soldiers, police, and bystanders before McKinley could order the beating to stop.^[8]

According to a later account by United States Secret Service special agent Samuel Ireland, Parker punched Czolgosz in the neck then tackled him to the ground. An unnamed witness cited in a Los Angeles Times story said that "with one quick shift of his clenched fist, he [Parker] knocked the pistol from the assassin's hand. With another, he spun the man around like a top and with a third, he broke Czolgosz's nose. A fourth split the assassin's lip and knocked out several teeth."^[8]

In Parker's own account of the event, given in a newspaper interview a few days later, he said,

I heard the shots. I did what every citizen of this country should have done. I am told that I broke his nose—I wish it had been his neck. I am sorry I did not see him four seconds before. I don't say that I would have thrown myself before the bullets. But I do say that the life of the head of this country is worth more than that of an ordinary citizen and I should have caught the bullets in my body rather than the President should get them.

In a separate interview given to the New York Journal, Parker remarked "just think, Father Abe freed me, and now I saved his successor from death, provided that bullet he got into the president don't kill him."^[9]

After the shooting, Parker was promptly praised by both black and white press stories for saving McKinley's life. For his efforts, he was honored with awards. Parker was even inducted into the all white fraternal organization, the Don't Knock Society.^[10] He was approached with several commercial offers, including from one company who wanted to sell his photograph. He refused, stating in a newspaper interview that "I do not think that the American people would like me to make capital out of the unfortunate circumstances. I am glad that I was able to be of service to the country."^[11] Prior to McKinley's death, when his outlook for recovery appeared promising, the Savannah Tribune, an African-American newspaper, trumpeted of Parker "the life of our chief magistrate was saved by a Negro. No other class of citizens is more loyal to this country than the Negro."^[5]

Despite initial optimism that McKinley would recover, the president died about a week later of complications arising from his wound. Czolgosz was tried and convicted in the Erie County Superior Court and executed on October 29, his body afterwards being dissolved in acid.^[12] Parker was not called to testify, though his attempt to save the president was later lauded in a speech given by Booker T. Washington.^[13][11] Preacher Lena Doolin Mason wrote a poem praising Parker for his actions, "A Negro In It", casting him as the latest in a long line of African Americans who risked their lives in service to their country and admonishing white Americans to recognize that bravery with the cessation of lynchings.^[14]

Parker was never called to testify at Czolgosz's trial. He was accused by Secret Service members of making false claims. On September 27, he encountered Black supporters who supported his claims but he refused to publicly address the crowd.^[10] Clarence Lusane wrote in The Black History of the White House that before the shooting, Parker was being racially profiled by a secret service agent.^[15] Parker was described as indignant at others' attempts to take credit for Czolgosz's capture.^[16]

After the McKinley assassination, Parker left Buffalo, and after spending the Christmas holidays with his family in Atlanta,^[17] traveled through the United States giving lectures to enthusiastic crowds at such places as Nashville, Tennessee,^[18] Long Branch, New Jersey,^[19] Brooklyn, New York,^[20] and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.^[21] On September 6, 1902, the first anniversary of the shooting, Parker was the principal speaker at a memorial service at the People's AME Zion Church in Providence, Rhode Island.^[22] Although there was talk of Parker being appointed as a messenger to the United States Senate,^[23] nothing seems to have come of it, and he subsequently went to work as a traveling salesman for the New York City based Gazetteer and Guide, an African-American interest magazine written for Pullman Porters and railroad and hotel employees.^[24] Details on his later activities were, for many years, unknown.^[8]

Later research found that in early 1907, Parker was in Atlantic City, New Jersey where he had been "roaming about as a vagrant for some time." He was arrested by local police and confined as a "lunatic."^[25] "Friends" appeared to help Parker, who was released to their custody.^[26] They made their way to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Parker was placed in a boardinghouse at 246 South 9th Street.

Parker later wrote to Mckinley's widow, Ida, asking for help. Ida, who was grateful for Parker's efforts to save her husband, sent the letter to George Cortelyou and Parker was given permanent employment at the United States Capitol and a house in Washington, D.C..^[27] On the night of Sunday, March 24, 1907, a policeman noticed Parker on a West Philadelphia street "acting queerly" and took him into custody. In the station house, Parker "raved all night." The following morning, a police surgeon examined Parker and determined that "his mind was subject to hallucinations and that it was dangerous for him to be at large" and Parker was therefore admitted to Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry.^[28] Parker was only at the hospital for a short time; he died at 2:10 pm on April 13, 1907, the cause being given as myocarditis with a contributory cause given as nephritis. He was three months shy of his 50th birthday.^[29] As his body was not claimed for burial, it was sent to the "Anatomical Board" where it eventually was dissected by students of the Jefferson Medical College.^[30] His remains are believed to have been lost.^{[citation needed]}

African Americans mourned McKinley's death but felt pride at Parker's heroic actions. They viewed his treatment as an injustice.^[10] Some experts have noted that Parker's efforts prevented Czolgosz from firing a third shot at McKinley, and by doing so, provided McKinley enough time not only for him to prepare for his condition worsening over the week but for his family and friends to spend those last precious moments with him and say their final goodbyes.^{[31][citation needed][10]}

• Parker's actions are dramatized in Murder at the Fair (2016), a episode of the History Channel miniseries 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America, centered on the McKinley assassination.^[32]
• In the parody short film McKinley! (2011), Parker and McKinley are allies against Czolgosz as McKinley attempts to extract vengeance on Czolgosz.^{[citation needed]}
• In season 7, episode 15, of the CBC Television period drama series Murdoch Mysteries, "The Spy Who Came Up to the Cold" (2014), a scene portraying McKinley's shooting depicts Parker beating Czolgosz.^[33]
• Parker's efforts to stop Czolgosz's shooting of McKinley are depicted in a scene in the miniseries Theodore Roosevelt (2022).^{[citation needed]}

• Charles Burleigh Purvis, African-American physician who attended President James Garfield