Benjamin Sterling Turner
By
John C Abercrombie
Benjamin Sterling Turner was born a slave in Weldon, North Carolina but was moved to Selma, Alabama by his owner’s widow.
Turner obtained an education, sitting with a White playmate. The playmate was a relative of his owner.
Turner was sold at the age of 20 to W. H. Gee. Gee owned a hotel and livery stable. Turner learned the business and was permitted to manage the businesses and keep a portion of the profits. This was very fortunate for Turner, but was not an opportunity afforded very many Blacks. This is an example that the success for Blacks was not because of the lack of ability, but the lack of opportunities.
Turner married a Black woman, but she was purchased by a white man as his mistress. This points out the brutal nature of slavery. People were considered property and families were regularly split up for the profit of the owner without any other compassionate considerations to the parties involved. Turner never remarried.
Because of his industrious nature, Turner was able to accumulate money and buy property before the Civil War broke out. Union troops burned large portions of the city and Turner suffered great financial loss.
Recognizing the opportunities afforded him by an education and believing strongly in providing an education to other Blacks, Turner established a school for Blacks in 1865.
In 1869, Turner was elected a councilman, but being a man of principal and believing that he should not receive a salary during down economic times, resigned.
Turner ran for the U.S. House of Representatives on a balanced platform of “Universal Suffrage and Universal Amnesty” and won a seat in the 42nd Congress. He represented Alabama.
Turner supported an Amnesty act eliminating legal and political disabilities imposed on former Confederates. He advocated racially mixed schools and reparations for former slaves. He worked for and represented all people.
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John C Abercrombie
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For more information on Benjamin Turner, click below
http://history.house.gov/People/Detail/23140
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