Horton, George Moses, 1798?-approximately 1880
Variant namesGeorge Moses Horton was born into slavery on William Horton's plantation, likely in 1798, in Northampton County, North Carolina. William Horton's estate was broken up in 1819; George was separated from his family. As a child he taught himself to read and compose poetry. By the age of 20, he began visiting the University of North Carolina and selling to the students acrostic love poems based on the names of their girlfriends. George was able to buy some time from his owner, James Horton; he was not freed, though, until the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
His literary efforts were encouraged by a number of well-placed individuals, including the novelist Caroline Lee Hentz, North Carolina Governor and later University President David L. Swain, and newspaperman Horace Greeley. Hentz, encouraged him and arranged for the publication of a collection, The Hope of Liberty. The book, the first published in the South by a black man, did not sell enough copies for Horton to purchase his freedom, nor did two subsequent collections.
George relocated to Philadelphia after the Civil War. He later emigrated to Bexley, Liberia, arriving January 7, 1867; it is unknown of his exact death date, death location, or burial; he may have even returned to Philadelphia.
.Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
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referencedIn | William Stevens Powell Papers, 1880s-2007 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection | |
referencedIn | Pettigrew Family Papers, 1776-1926 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection | |
creatorOf | An address to collegiates of the University of N.C. | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | |
referencedIn | George Moses Horton : poem Trudier Harris. | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | |
creatorOf | Myself : for SATB choir / James Barry ; text by George Moses Horton | Bowling Green State University, BGSU Libraries | |
referencedIn | Gillespie and Wright Family Papers, 1735-1990 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection | |
referencedIn | Richard Gaither Walser Papers, 1918-1988 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection | |
referencedIn | Torrance and Banks family papers, 1765-1982 (bulk 1800-1900). | University of North Carolina, Charlotte, J. Murrey Atkins Library | |
referencedIn | Woodberry Poetry Room (Harvard College Library) poetry readings, 1931- (ongoing). | Woodberry Poetry Room, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University | |
creatorOf | George Moses Horton Poem, ., 1856 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection | |
creatorOf | [Two poems] | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | |
referencedIn | Richard Gaither Walser Papers, 1918-1988 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection |
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Filters:
Relation | Name | |
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associatedWith | Barry, James, composer. | person |
associatedWith | Dixon, Henry A. | person |
associatedWith | Dixon, Martha Sugg. | person |
associatedWith | Gales, Joseph, 1786-1860 | person |
associatedWith | Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879 | person |
associatedWith | Greeley, Horace, 1811-1872 | person |
associatedWith | Harris, Trudier. | person |
associatedWith | Hentz, Caroline Lee, 1800-1856 | person |
associatedWith | Owen, John, 1787-1841. | person |
associatedWith | Pettigrew family. | family |
associatedWith | Polk, Leonidas, 1806-1864 | person |
associatedWith | Powell, William Stevens, 1919- | person |
associatedWith | Swain, David Lowry, 1801-1868 | person |
associatedWith | University of North Carolina (1793-1962) | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Walser, Richard Gaither, 1908-1988. | person |
associatedWith | Woodberry Poetry Room (Harvard College Library). | corporateBody |
Place Name | Admin Code | Country | |
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Northampton County | NC | US | |
North Carolina | NC | US | |
Chapel Hill | NC | US | |
United States | 00 | US | |
Chatham County | NC | US | |
Republic of Liberia | 00 | LR | |
Philadelphia | PA | US |
Subject |
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American literature |
African American authors |
African American poets |
American poetry |
Slaves |
Slaves' writing, American |
Occupation |
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Poets |
Activity |
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Person
Birth 1798
Death 1880
English