Discovering Delany: Top 11 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Martin Delany You Never Knew

1. Chatham's True Founder

Martin Delany: One part world traveler, two parts underground railroad conductor, and a pinch of "Africa for Africans" originator, this charismatic concoction led him to explore the likes of Liberia and West Africa with dreams of Black settlements in his eyes: However, contrary to popular myth, the town of Chatham wasn't his brainchild but rather the labor of love from William Buxton, who generously welcomed escaped slaves with open arms.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Delany's African House Swap

Ever considered a multinational house swap, 19th-century-style? Martin Delany sure did: As a prominent black nationalist, he signed a treaty with Nigerian chiefs, allowing African-American settlers to occupy "unused land" in exchange for sharing their skills to benefit the local community, all in pursuit of establishing a brand new nation for black people.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know the real-life "Moses" was a fearless woman named Harriet Tubman? She led 19 daring trips to free around 300 slaves through the Underground Railroad! Discover her astonishing story 🚂💪🔗

=> Fun Facts about Harriet-Tubman

3. The Original Captain America

Before Captain America ever barked orders, another mighty hero was stepping up to lead in red, white, and blue: Martin Delany was the first Black field officer in the United States Army during the Civil War, serving as a major in the U.S. Colored Troops.
Source => washingtoninformer.com

4. Pre-Scrubs Editor Squad

Before their No Scrubs policy sent them their Separate Ways: Martin Delany once played co-editor to Frederick Douglass on the North Star. Their 18-month partnership hit a Roadblock when Delany left to study medicine at Harvard, only to be dismissed due to his race. Despite different roads taken, they remained Homies-with-Letters, occasionally exchanging correspondences supporting Black rights and freedom.
Source => coloredconventions.org

5. Booted Medical Superhero

Whooshing in like a medical superhero before getting booted off his trusty stethoscope almost as quickly: Martin Delany was one of the first African-American men admitted to Harvard Medical School in 1850, but was dismissed a few weeks later due to protests by white students, despite having letters of support from 17 physicians.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Harvard's Lost McDreamy

Harvard Medical School had its own McDreamy, McSteamy, and McSmarty-pants in 1850, but their scalpel skills never got to make epic television history: Martin Delany was one of the first three African Americans accepted into the prestigious institution, only to be forced out a month later due to opposition from white professors and students who petitioned for their exclusion.
Source => picturingblackhistory.org

7. DJ Black Nationalism

If Martin Delany were a DJ, he'd be spinning the grooviest beats for black nationalism and self-determination: As a prominent African American leader during the antebellum years, Delany not only penned the game-changing book "The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States" in 1859, but he also served as the highest-ranking black officer in the Union Army during the Civil War, rocking the title of major in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.
Source => loc.gov

8. Ink-Stained Utopia Dreamer

Martin Delany: the dreamer who left a trail of ink-stained newspapers and a never-realized utopia for descendants of African royalty in West Africa, only to (quite literally) make a splash back in turbulent America: Armed with an ambitious plan, Delany co-founded newspapers like The Mystery and North Star, visited Liberia to ink an agreement with eight local chiefs for a black settlement, but faced opposition from white missionaries and regional warfare that ultimately thwarted his West African idyll.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Seamstress Rebellion Mom

Talk about breaking the stitch-code: Martin Delany's mom, Pati, was a free seamstress with African roots and possible royal blood who sewed together a patchwork quilt of family literary rebellion! Serious reveal: She was found guilty of secretly teaching her children to read and write in a time when it was illegal, leading to the family's relocation from Virginia to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
Source => encyclopediavirginia.org

10. Delany: Chuck Norris Pen Pal

"If Chuck Norris had a pen pal back in the 1800s, it would have been Martin Delany: a journalist, scientist, political activist who worked with Frederick Douglass, became the first black major in the U.S. Army, and wrote a revolutionary novel that portrayed transnational black revolution to end slavery - all while never breaking a sweat."
Source => encyclopediavirginia.org

11. Harvard's Groundhog Moment

Who knew Harvard could be the medical version of Groundhog Day? Just like Bill Murray's reliving the same day over and over: Back in 1850, Martin Delany along with Isaac Humphrey Snowden and Daniel Laing, Jr. experienced a similar déjà vu, minus the furry critter: Despite facing fierce opposition, these three exceptional African-American students were admitted to Harvard's Faculty of Medicine, only to be booted out shortly after. Unlike Bill, they decided to change the channel, with Snowden and Laing going on to successfully complete their medical training at Dartmouth. Although they didn't get to rock the Harvard title, Delany and his compatriots helped pave the way for future African-American students to do so.
Source => collections.countway.harvard.edu