Born c. 1809

Nashville, Tennessee

Died 1892

St. Louis, Missouri

Leader of "Kansas Exodus" and racial unity activist

"I am the whole cause of the Kansas immigration!"

Benjamin "Pap" Singleton was an African American man who played an important part in the massive emigration of ex-slaves from the South to the West. Although he was not the single source of inspiration for the black exodus from the South, Singleton did play a significant role in helping blacks escape the oppressive social climate of the South following the Civil War (1861–65; a war fought between the Northern and Southern United States over the issue of slavery) and find greater opportunities in the West.

Little Documentation of Singleton's Life

As is true with many ex-slaves, there are precious few documents recording Singleton's life. Other than a record of his birth in 1809, little is known about...