Through newspapers such as Mirror of The Times (1857-1862) and The Pacific Appeal (1862-1880) African-Americans fought back against discrimination and second class status, especially in the Reconstruction period. The Pacific Appeal advertised itself as “the origin organ of the Colored Citizens of the Pacific States and Territories” and the Colored Citizens’ League was pledged to support “the best men who are in sympathy with the colored race, irrespective of party.”
 
This is the Colored Citizens’ Independent ticket from San Francisco for state and local offices chosen on Tuesday, November 4, 1890.  At the time, the black vote nationally remained mainly with the Republican Party and the San Francisco Colored Citizens’ ticket mainly endorsed Republican candidates at the top of the 48 offices to be filled, giving support to Henry Markham for Governor and John Cutting for Congress from California’s 4th District. Both were elected and both had been officers in the Union armies during the Civil War.
 
At the county level, the Colored Citizens retained their Republican focus, listing Republicans for Auditor, Sheriff, Tax Collector and Treasurer. But at the city level, the endorsements shift to Democrats, including William F. Goad as Mayor of San Francisco and Democrats for ward-level positions. The successful Republican candidate for mayor, Republican George Sanderson, complained of the adverse effect of the pressures and circumstances of his office on his health. He died on February 1, 1893, just a month after the end of his term in office.