Jeremiah Sullivan Black served as U.S. attorney general from 1857 to 1860 under President James Buchanan. Black also served as a judge, secretary of state and was an unsuccessful nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, he served as reporter of decisions of the Supreme Court.

Black was born on January 10, 1810, in Stony Creek, Pennsylvania. Raised in a rural area of the state, Black was largely self-educated. Black's father arranged for his son to study law with a local attorney and in 1830 Black was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar. He joined a local law firm, but his attentions quickly shifted to politics. A staunch Democrat, Black used his party connections to become a district court judge in 1842. In 1851, he was elected to the Pennsylvania supreme court and later served as chief justice for three years.

Black's political connections continued to work for him. In 1857, fellow Pennsylvania Democrat...