John Henry Ryan

John Henry Ryan (1865 - 1943) was a businessman, newspaperman, and state legislator in the U.S. state of Washington. He lived in Tacoma, Washington. He was a member of the NAACP. He was elected as a member of three different political parties.

He and his wife published The Weekly and then The Forum newspapers.

In 1889, William Owen Bush became the first African American to serve in Washington’s legislature, serving at its inaugural session. Charles Stokes was elected to the legislature in the early 1950s.

Career
He served in 1921 and 1923. He and other House members were included in a photo montage of members. He wore glasses.

He was the only African American serving in the Washington House of Representatives. He was in the Tacoma branch of the NAACP. He helped defeat a proposal for an anti-intermarriage bill.

He was born in Chillicothe, Ohio. He was one of 12 children born to George R. and Mary Elizabeth (Gatliffe) Ryan. He married Ella Alexander. She edited their newspaper The Forum. She wrote an editorial against chain gang]]s.

His grandmother was Cherokee.

He compiled Ryan's Legislative Manual published in 1907. He opposed a proposed bill to fingerprint vagrants.

He changed his name to Senator J. H. Ryan. He published Ryan's Weekly.