Owen L. W. Smith
Wilson, Wilson County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Owen L. W. Smith. U.S. minister to Liberia, 1898-1902; born into slavery. Pastor, St. John A.M.E. Zion Church in Wilson. Lived 1/10 mi. N.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Owen L. W. Smith, born into slavery, rose to serve as U.S. minister to Liberia from 1898 to 1902 and as pastor of St. John A.M.E. Zion Church in Wilson. His life carried him from bondage to the highest ranks of American diplomacy and the ministry. He lived just north of this marker.
Why it matters
Smith's journey from enslavement to a diplomatic post abroad testifies to the extraordinary achievements some African Americans reached in the generation after emancipation, even amid deepening segregation.
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Related people
- Β· Owen L. W. Smith
Themes & tags
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