Samuel Wakefield (c. 1834–1883), was an American postmaster, tax collector, school official, and state legislator in Louisiana.
[2] He founded the Wakefield Institute (?–1874) in New Iberia, Louisiana, a two story private school for African American students, during the time of racial segregation.
He was deposed from office during the term of governor Francis T. Nicholls, and his seat was passed to George Wailles.
[1] An older child, Adolph J. Wakefield, served as Clerk of Court for Iberia Parish, between 1884 and 1888; and the first African American to do so.
Samuel Wakefield Sr. committed suicide by firearm mere days later on February 1, 1889, in New Iberia.