His politics focused on education and development and he was instrumental in the updating of Mississippi River levees in the 1880s.

[1] Theophile Terrence Allain was born a slave on October 1, 1846 on the Australian Plantation, West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

Crowds gathered at the port to meet him, believing him to be the Haitian leader, Faustin Soulouque.

He was the first person after the US Civil War to organize integrated public schools in Baton Rouge.

[2] In 1880, Allain, along with representative Zachary Taylor Young, led the opposition to a bill to modify Article 527 of the state constitution.

The amendment was led by representatives Henry Heidenhain and John S. Billiu and critics of the bill saw it as an effort to re-enslave Louisianan blacks.

[1] He held several minor public positions, and continued to advocate for civil rights in local and national organizations.