Meet Palm Beach County Deputy Sheriff Cornelious Richardson, Sr., Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s 1st African American deputy during the 1920’s & 30’s transporting prisoners to Florida State Prison in Raiford.

Richardson was a pioneer member of the Bethel AME Church, which later became Payne Chapel AME Church, in West Palm Beach. He was among the first to organize the Voters League of West Palm Beach and among the first members of the NAACP. Also, he served as a trustee for black schools in Palm Beach County. In that capacity, he assisted many teachers seeking employment and those assigned to Glades area schools.