blˈæk wʌz ˈæktɪv ɪn pˈɑːlətˌɪks, hˌævɪŋ sˈɜːvd ɪnðə wɪskˈɑːnsɪn stˈeɪt ɐsˈɛmbli, ðə wɪskˈɑːnsɪn stˈeɪt sˈɛnət, ðə mɪlwˈɔːkiː kˈɑːmən kˈaʊnsəl, ænd, ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt, æz mˈeɪɚɹ ʌv mɪlwˈɔːkiː fɚɹə tˈuːjˈɪɹ tˈɜːm, ɐ dˈɛməkɹˌæt ɪn ɐ sˈɪɾi lˈɑːɹdʒli ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkən æt ðə tˈaɪm.
Black was active in politics, having served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, the Wisconsin State Senate, the Milwaukee Common Council, and, in 1878, as Mayor of Milwaukee for a two-year term, a Democrat in a city largely Republican at the time.