William Tillman: The Union's First Black Hero
- February 11, 2010
Gerald Henig, emeritus professor of history, California State University East Bay, will present this Cal State East Bay Scholar-Olli lecture on William Tillman, a free African-American, virtually unknown to Civil War specialists and buffs alike, yet was a genuine Union hero.
This illiterate ship's cook and steward, acting almost alone, recaptured a Union vessel from Confederate privateers in 1861 and sailed it safely into New York Harbor.
Join Professor Henig for an account of Tillman's deeds and an analysis of how Northerners, Southern rebels, and observers across the Atlantic reacted on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m. in Room D. This presentation is free to members. Membership is free to individuals 50 years of age and older.