Original sentence: John Mercer Langston (1829-1899), abolitionist, activist, educator and politician - in 1855 first black in Ohio elected to public office, first dean of Howard University law school, first president of Virginia State University, in 1888 first black to be elected to the United States Congress from Virginia
Edited sentence: John Mercer Langston (1829-1899), abolitionist, activist, educator and politician - in 1855 first black person in Ohio elected to public office, first dean of Howard University law school, first president of Virginia State University, in 1888 first black person to be elected to the United States Congress from Virginia