Political Activists – Abolitionists
Basil Dorsey (1808-1872)
Basil Dorsey, born enslaved in Maryland, became famous for his role in successfully freeing himself. Dorsey was born in 1808...
Robert Charles O’Hara Benjamin (1855-1900)
Robert Charles O’Hara Benjamin, also known as R.C.O. Benjamin, was a Caribbean-born political activist, newspaper editor, minister, poet, teacher, author,...
Contraband Relief Association (1862-1865)
At the beginning of the Civil War, there were approximately two million enslaved women. An estimated 500,000 of these women...
The Founding of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society (1775)
In the mid 1600’s, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a busting port for enslaved Africans. The city was also a place where...
William A. Jackson (1831/ 2(?)- )
William A. Jackson briefly gained notoriety in the early years of the Civil War as an escaped slave and spy....
Frederick Augustus Hinton (1804-1849)
Frederick Augustus Hinton, barber, abolitionist, early advocate for independent Black presses, and founding member of the Colored Conventions movement, was...
Lewis Temple (1800-1854)
The invention of the fluted or barbed harpoon, which revolutionized the whaling industry, was the brainchild of Lewis Temple, an...
Martha Hartway (1858-1924)
Martha Hartway was one of the black pioneers of Columbus, Ohio. She was born a slave in Powhatan County, Virginia...
The Battle of Milliken’s Bend (1863)
Milliken’s Bend was a small community in Louisiana located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, about 15 miles...
