The "The Hero I'm Sure You Never Knew Existed!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my wife about our next vacation we have scheduled to the island of St. Martin.  We have visited the island quite a few times over the past 20 years and after going through my old scrapbooks and photos from recent visits, realized we have lived close to a year of our lives on "The Friendly Island".  The island, which is shared by both France (St. Martin) and the Netherlands (Sint Maarten) is famous for a variety of things as well as people.  While reading an article a few days ago, I found yet another native islander who became very well known in the United States.  

Mr. William H. Crogman

Fellow by the name of William H. Crogman who was born free on the island of Sint Maarten in the capital city of Philipsburg on May 5, 1841.  He was the son of William and Charlotte Chippendale Crogman.  He was orphaned at the age of 12, but took to the seas two years later with B.L. Brommer who was a family member of a New England ship owning family.  While working as a seaman,  
William had the chance to travel to places such as Europe, Asia, Australia and South America during his next eleven years, learning more than he could have possibly learned had he remained on Sint Maarten.  Mr. Brommer recognized the intellectual abilities of William and urged him to enter Pierce Academy in Massachusetts in 1868.  At Pierce he was a top student and graduated in half the amount of time.  Two years later he became an instructor at Claflin University in South Carolina and later joined the faculty at Clark University serving as faculty member, department chairman and the University's first African American President.  He was a delegate to the General Conference of the M.E. Church three times and the first African American to serve as one of its secretaries.  In 1878 he married Lavinia C. Mott.  He became an eloquent speaker and spoke before the National Teacher's Association.  He was on the Board of Trustees of Gammon Theological Seminary, a permanent chairman of the Board of Commissioners for all African Americans from all States and authored several books including "Talks for the Times" which was first published in 1898.  He was a master teacher as well as a staunch advocate of the education of African Americans.  His work was recognized at black educational institutions in Atlanta, in the Methodist Episcopal Church and among prominent educators such as Booker T. Washington and W. W. B. Du Bois.  William preferred classical training for black students, but respected industrial training from Tuskegee Institute.  William Crogman left a legacy that is preserved in his speeches and writings on Black history.  Mr. Crogman eventually moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1931 where he died on October 16 of that year.  What I have just given you was but a brief summary of the life of Mr. William H. Crogman.  But, I must add a few more bits of information to tell you what kind of person he really was.  In October of 1883 he was invited to speak at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, New York.  That evening he noted in his evening discourse that blacks had fought valiantly in all wars in defense of the United States government.  They were in the Revolution and the Rebellion, and military leaders such as George Washington bore witness to their service.  "The Negro fought in common with you to found this government," he said, "and to perpetuate this government."  Although "hanged in the streets of New York by an infuriated mob; snubbed and mocked, buffeted and spit upon, ... he has never for a moment deserted the Union."  In spite of blacks' proven commitment to the United States, heated debates over the civil rights bill of that period showed that some members of Congress still considered blacks worthless, unmanly and cowardly.  Mr. Crogman's lecture on "The Negro's Needs" included his views on what he called "counter-education," the concern that blacks were taught nothing in church or school and given another view by mainstream white treatment of the race.  Crogman had three of his lectures on the subject printed in pamphlet form under the title "Talks for the Times" and made available for distribution.  If you "Google" Mr. Crogman you will find page after page, story after story and accolade after accolade about him.  He is a true hero to the Blacks all over the world.  He even has a date every year when his life is celebrated.  How many of us can lay claim to that?  And, the tiny island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin has a true hero they can claim their own.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.