The Resume

(February 8, 1837-September 1, 1870)
Born in Smithville, North Carolina
Union Army spy, military recruiter, and abolitionist
North Carolina Republican Party organizer
Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 13th district (November 16, 1868 – April 12, 1869)

Why he might be annoying:

He was known as the Scarlet Pimpernel (because…?).
He remained illiterate throughout his life and, as such, left no record of his own thoughts or ideas.
He traveled to Haiti, in 1860, to work for the recruitment effort to organize a John Brown-type military invasion in the American South.

Why he might not be annoying:

He escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad.
He was a grassroots organizer, a coalition builder, and a force in the Abolitionist movement.
He led a group of black southern delegates to meet with President Lincoln to argue for African-American suffrage (April 29th, 1864).
He was chosen to serve as North Carolina’s delegate for the National Convention of Freedmen of the United States that took place in Syracuse (they later founded the National Equal Rights League).
He became North Carolina’s first black elector.
As a legislator, he was able to vote for ratification of the 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution during his tenure.
He died virtually penniless, his wealth having been exhausted by his various philanthropic efforts locally.
His funeral was attended by over six thousand mourners, comprised of both black freedmen and white citizens.

Credit: BoyWithTheGreenHair

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Black Men Loved by Whites
• BoyWiththeGreenHair’s Profiles [Series 24]
• Civil Rights Activists
• Don't Look at Me, I'm Not in My Profile Picture
• I Died in Debt
• I Died in My 30s (Ranked: 33)
• I was a Slave
• Pig Names
• Profiles 57001-57250 (Ranked: 57010)
• Served in the American Civil War [1861-65]
• Spiritual Names
• Stand Up Men

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 11 Votes: 18.18% Annoying