Why was Henry McNeal turner so important?

Answer 1

During the American Civil War he was appointed a Chaplain to one of the first Federal regiments of black troops (Company B of the First United States Colored Troops). This appointment came directly from President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. He was also appointed by President Andrew Johnson to work with the Freedman's Bureau in Georgia during Reconstruction.

Following the Civil War he became steadily more disenchanted with the lack of progress in the status of the country's African-Americans. During this time he moved to the state of Georgia. It was here that he became involved in Radical Republican politics. He helped found the Republican Party of Georgia. After attempts to overcome certain Supreme Court decisions, Turner became disgusted and ended his attempts to bring equality to the United States. Instead, Turner became a proponent of the "back to Africa" and "African American colonization" movements. He travelled to Africa and was struck by the differences in the attitude of Africans who had never known the degradation of slavery.

Mr. Turner ran for political office but here, too, he faced racial barriers. He was, in fact, elected to the Georgia Legislature in 1868. However, the Democratic Party had control of the legislature at the time. The party then used their majority to prevent Henry M. Turner, as well as 26 other black legislators, from taking their seats during the opening session. After a protest from Washington, Turner and his fellow legislators were able to take their seats during the second session.

He wrote extensively about the war and about the condition of his parishioners. His reputation was besmirched by charges of promiscuity. He died while visiting Windsor, Ontario in 1915. He was highly regarded in the Afro-American and the Afro-Canadian community and a large number of churches are named in his honour. One church, Turner Chapel, is located in Oakville, Ontario. It was built by men and women who had fled the Fugitive slave laws of the United States. In 1890 they purchased land for $190.00 and built a small 1,000-square-foot (93 m2) church which was built in the style of the brick churches which existed in Oakville in that time. He was known as a fiery orator and he scandalized many Americans when he preached that God was black.For the time that he lived in , he was brave to question the Church on equality , and also challenge the laws of the USA concerning discrimination.It is people like Mr Turner who kept the candle lit for future anti apartheid protestors .