Martin R. Delany was an American Civil War veteran, abolitionist, writer, and explorer.  He is often referred to as America’s first supporter of Black Nationalism. Delany lived a long and fruitful life until age 72 in 1865.

He was born on May 6, 1812, in Charleston which was still part of Virginia, a slave state. His father, Samuel, was a slave, as were his captured African paternal and maternal grandparents.

Delany was born free because his mother, Pati was also born free.

During his childhood Delany’s parents drilled into their son that he was of royal African lineage.

Delany and his siblings learned to read and write at a young age, using a book given by a stranger. Educating Blacks was a crime in Virginia and after the book was discovered by authorities, Pati fled with her children north to Pennsylvania without their father.

Samuel later bought his freedom and joined the family in Chambersburg. Growing up Delany attended school intermittently and worked to help his family. At 19, he moved to the big city of Pittsburgh.

Delany married Catherine A. Richards, the daughter of a successful businessman. The couple bore 11 children, seven survived to adulthood.

Delany entered Jefferson College and became deeply involved in church activities. His fortunes would drastically change in 1833 when a cholera epidemic seized the nation: Delany became an apprentice to abolitionist doctors to help treat the disease using old techniques of “fire cupping” and “leeching.”

Delany would go on to open his own dentistry and leeching practice to the acclaim of his mentors but he was rejected by prominent medical schools because of racism.

He was finally admitted to Harvard in 1849, one of three first Black men to enter the hallowed institution’s halls. Delany’s presence caused a huge stir, forcing him to leave the school after mere months. This fueled his anger towards the White ruling class and formed the basis of his book “The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States, Politically Considered” (1852).

In his book, Delany suggested the Blacks take root in South America or in the West Indies. The book was seen as the first written work addressing Black Nationalism.

In 1859, Delany traveled to Liberia with the intent of creating a new Black nation for outside settlers. He made an agreement with eight chiefs to settle on unused land in return for goods and services. The treaty fell apart after opposition by White missionaries, strife throughout the lands, and the impending American Civil War.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln called for a draft and Delany recruited men for the Union Army. His efforts led to his becoming the first Black front line field officer of the U.S. Army, where he achieved the highest rank of any other Black soldier during the Civil War.

Radical and determined for equality, Delany argued that free Blacks should own the lands they once tilled. He eventually resigned in 1865.

Delany worked in the Freedman’s Bureau on behalf of former slaves fighting for voting rights and other civil matters. In 1874, he was just short of winning the election for Lieutenant Governor in South Carolina on the Radical Independent Republican Party ticket.

During the next voting cycle, he ran as a Democrat and won and was also appointed as a judge in the process. Although he still promoted nationalism and emigration for African Americans who wanted to return to Africa, he was also focused on working to support his college-aged children. He continued practicing medicine while his wife worked as a seamstress.

Martin Delany died of tuberculosis in 1824 in Wilberforce, Ohio.

His story is a fascinating example of a Mother’s defiant courage to ensure her children lived to their greatest potential and highlights the struggles of African American ancestors as they remained dignified in the face of potent detractors.

What shall we glean from his amazing life? Everyone has a purpose larger themselves and greater than their imagination.

We salute the life of  Martin. R. Delany.