FIRST - African American to Record History for His Race and To Have a Non-Military Federal Appointment-William Nell [Home of] - Boston, MA
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NorStar
N 42° 21.601 W 071° 03.917
19T E 329922 N 4691815
William C. Neil, who lived here at 3 Smith Court, had a few notable accomplishments, including the first African-American to seriously record history for his race and to receive a federal, non-military appointment.
Waymark Code: WMMAPT
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 08/23/2014
Views: 6
On Boston's Beacon Hill is this house with a plaque on it about William C. Nell who lived here.
The house is on Smith Ct., which is off Joy Street. To get to this location, the best thing is to park at one of the public garages, for instance, under the Boston Common. Joy Street runs between Beacon Street from the Common and Cambridge Street on the north side of the hill. Smith Ct. is on the left about halfway up the north slope. The house is on the right, across the street from the entrance to the Museum of African American History.
Above the front door is a brass plaque with the following on it:
"William C. Nell (1816 - 1874 Lived Here
1840 - Leader of the fight to integrate Boston's Public Schools
- First black to record seriously the history of this race
1861 - Attacked discrimination of blacks by federal government
1863 - First black to receive non military federal appointment"
Nell was active in the abolitionist movement as well as a advocate for the integration of schools and a civil servant. He was born in Boston and became involved in community. He encountered racial discrimination as a student when he was passed over for an award for excellence when he graduated from the Smith School. He was influenced by William Lloyd Garrison's publication, The Liberator, and began to challenge race-based discrimination. He lobbied to integrate Massachusetts schools, and, in 1855, segregation ended in Boston schools. When the Fugitive Slave Law was enacted, Nell worked hard to undercut it, aiding former slaves to escape. During the Civil War, he advocated to have blacks accepted as soldiers in the Union Army. He also was appointed a postal clerk, the first African-American to be posted into federal civil service. As an historian, his major work was The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution (1855).
He lived in this home in the 1860s. It is now a National Historic Landmark.
Other Source:
Museum of African American History:
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visit link)
National Park Service (Black Heritage Trail):
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visit link)
Map:
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visit link)
historiansagainstslavery.org (Nell)
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visit link)
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