GEORGE WASHINGTON WILLIAMS
1849-1891
Historian
George Washington Williams was unquestionably the greatest black historianof the 19th century, and can still lay claim to being the writer of a pair of definitive works on at least two aspects of the black experience, The Civil War and the period stretching from the Jamestown landing to the end of the Reconstruction. George major works are: The History of the Negro Race in America from 1619-1880 and A History of the Negro Troops in the War of the Rebellion 1888.
George was a native of Bedford Spring, Pennsylvania, He enlisted in the Union Army at the age of 14, served through the war, and went on to beome a Lieutenat- Colonel in the Mexican army. After the fall of Maximillian, he moved out West serving in Several Indian campaigns on the frontier. Later he attended Howard University and Newton Theological Seminary. The latter after he had decided on a career in the ministry. His career eventually reached into the journalism field he conducted two newspapers and also went into the law field and practiced in Ohio the further went into politic and served in the Ohio state Legislature and as minister to Haiti. Williams subsequently became interested in the Congo and entered the service of the Belgian government He died in England while still in the service of Leopold II the Belgian King.