Martin Robison Delany
Martin Robison Delany
May 6, 1812 – Jan. 24, 1885
Catherine A. (Richards) Delany
Oct. 10, 1822 – July 11, 1894
Placido Rameses Delany
1862 – 1910
Faustin Soulouque Delany
1859 – 1912
Ethiopia Hallie Amelia Delany
1864 – 1920
The son of an enslaved father and free Black mother,
Martin Delany became one of the most prominent
Black leaders in 19th Century America. Of direct
African lineage, the “Father of Black Nationalism”
promoted Black pride and self-determination.
Delany was born May 6, 1812 in
Charles Town, in present day West
Virginia. Because it was illegal
for Blacks to be educated there, his
mother moved the family to
Pennsylvania. Delany studied
medicine, founded a newspaper,
“The Mystery,” and advocated rights
for African Americans and women.
He co-edited “The North Star” with
abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
Delany risked his life as a leader in the
Underground Railroad, established to assist
the enslaved on their flight to freedom. In
1859 Delany traveled to Africa in an attempt
to secure a homeland for Black Americans.
As the United States moved toward Civil War,
Delany believed
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slavery. He recruited Black troops and met
with President Lincoln to propose a strategy
for winning the war with Black officers
leading Black soldiers.
Delany was commissioned a Major, the
highest ranking Black field officer in the Union
Army. He later served in the Freedmans
Bureau to protect the rights of the formerly
enslaved. He moved to Wilberforce, Ohio in
1864 to provide his children a quality
education. As an abolitionist, physician, leader
in Prince Hall Freemasonry, politician, judge,
and writer. Delany fought to achieve justice and
equality for all Americans of African descent.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln series list.
Location. 39° 44.282′ N, 83° 50.454′ W. Marker is near Cedarville, Ohio, in Greene County. It can be reached from Tarbox Cemetery Road (County Route 81). Marker is in Massie Creek Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2077 Tarbox Cemetery Road, Cedarville OH 45314, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Dayton Metro and in the Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Additional keywords. Underground Railroad
Credits. This page was last revised on November 10, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2018, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 849 times since then and 35 times this year. Last updated on June 20, 2018, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 15, 2018, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. 7, 8, 9. submitted on June 19, 2018, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
