Black History Month Stories.
Black people have been making major contributions to America throughout its existence, and nothing illustrates that like today's story of a man who escaped slavery just to turn around and give his life to protect the nation.
This is the story of William Williams
Black people have been making major contributions to America throughout its existence, and nothing illustrates that like today's story of a man who escaped slavery just to turn around and give his life to protect the nation.
This is the story of William Williams
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Most of his life is unknown, but Sometime in early 1814, Williams escaped his slaver, Benjamin Oden, and fled.
This advertisement made life difficult for Williams. If captured, he'd be returned to slavery.
Despite an offer of freedom and land for any slave who escaped and signed on with the British military, Williams instead enlisted with the United States Army in Baltimore.
However, the heavy recruitment quotas led many officers to simply sign up anybody willing to join.
They then stole munitions and boarded ships aiming to take Baltimore, but standing in their way was Fort McHenry and William Williams.