Martin R. Delany

Martin Robison Delany (May 6, 1812 – January 24, 1885) was an American abolitionist, journalist, physician, military officer and writer who was arguably the first proponent of black nationalism. Delany is credited with the Pan-African slogan of "Africa for Africans." Born as a free person of color in Charles Town, Virginia, now West Virginia (not Charleston, West Virginia), and raised in Chambersburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Delany trained as a physician and practiced in Pittsburgh.

from Wikipedia

Banner photo of Pittsburgh at sunset was taken by Jason Pratt, 2005. Cropped. CC BY 2.0

Major Martin R. Delany

Introductory Articles

Biography from Wikipedia

Biography from Britannica

Biography from the Pennsylvania Center for the Book

Biography from South Carolina Encyclopedia

"Mystery" (Newspaper) from Wikipedia

Painting of Major Martin Delany

"Pan-Africanism" from Britannica

Delany Historical Marker

"Tracing the Underground Railroad in Pittsburgh"

Journal Articles

Free and Open Access Articles

Some Full Text Articles are Available

Selected Writings of Martin R. Delany

The full text of some of the books below are available to read on Internet Archive, but you must sign up for a free Internet Archive account to borrow them and read them online. It only takes a minute to do this. Those books below not available on Internet Archive are available in full text on the HathiTrust website.

The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the U.S. Politically Considered

The Origin and Objects of Ancient Freemasonry

Political Destiny of the Colored Race

Blake or the Huts of America: A Novel

The Official Report of the Niger Valley Exploring Party

Principia of Ethnology: The Origin of Races and Color

Selected Works About Martin R. Delany

The full text of all of the books below are available to read on Internet Archive, but you must sign up for a free Internet Archive account to borrow them and read them online. It only takes a minute to do this.