Anxious to be free: William Henry Singleton’s life of liberty

“In the country of the Declaration of Independence, I was born a slave.” So wrote William Henry Singleton in his memoirs “Recollections of My Slavery Days.” Singleton was born into slavery in 1830s New Bern, North Carolina. Whether living enslaved or free, Singleton embodied a spirit of liberty worth emulating.

Singleton’s Spirit of Liberty

Singleton powerfully conveys slavery’s dehumanization, writing, “In the eyes of the law, I was but a thing.” Indeed, throughout his younger years, he experienced the degradation inherent in his status. He reports that, as a young boy, he was “sold off the plantation away from my mother and my brothers with as little formality as they would have sold a calf or a mule.” During such a trial, Singleton proved that he possessed an unquenchable spirit yearning for liberty.

Singleton’s owner sent him to Atlanta, Georgia, far from his family, who lived in Craven County, North Carolina. However, he was not destined to remain separated from his family. As an elementary school-age child, Singleton escaped and traveled hundreds of miles back to his mother’s home. He hid undetected for three years.

The slave patrol that eventually captured Singleton did not temper his yearning for liberty. Singleton noted that he was “anxious to be free.” He escaped enslavement three more times. His final escape brought him to freedom in the Union army lines near New Bern.

Singleton’s Sacrifice for Liberty

Once within the Union fold, Singleton displayed his spirit of liberty with greater force. He became a leader among freed slaves, served as an aide to high-ranking Union officers, and met President Abraham Lincoln.

Rather than merely grasp liberty for himself, Singleton actively sought to extend liberty to those in bondage. He led 1,000 free black men in military drill while awaiting Union permission to formally join the army. Singleton eventually enlisted in the First North Carolina Colored Volunteer Troops, which later became the 35^th United States Colored Troops Infantry Regiment.

Singleton continued to prove his leadership when appointed sergeant in Company G (at a time when only white officers could lead soldiers). Sergeant Singleton served in South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia and was wounded in the Battle of Olustee. Singleton marched under the regimental flag of the 35^th that featured Lady Liberty standing triumphantly upon a copperhead snake. The banner boldly proclaimed the word “Liberty.” One cannot conceive a more fitting symbol for Singleton’s spirit of liberty.

Singleton’s Service in Liberty

Singleton pursued the fruits of liberty after his discharge from the army in 1866. He moved to the Northeast and worked various jobs. In his post-war life, he invested in his community and enjoyed his new, free status.

He wrote, “I became ambitious to learn all I could and so read as many books as I could and availed myself of all the opportunities that presented themselves to educate myself.”

Singleton actively advanced liberty through voluntary associations. Sociologist Robert Nisbet noted: “Freedom presupposes the autonomous existence of values that men wish to be free to follow and live up to. Such values are social in the precise sense that they arise out of, and are nurtured by, the voluntary associations which men form.” Intuitively recognizing the truth behind Nisbet’s words, Singleton assumed multiple leadership positions in his community — especially within the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

When Singleton was a slave, the owner of the plantation forced him to attend church. As a free man, he chose to join the congregation most closely aligned with his values. Freely promoting those values as a preacher became a significant part of Singleton’s life.

Singleton’s legacy

Singleton escaped slavery, fought to free others, and pursued virtuous liberty through community service.

Looking back on his life, he wrote, “Now I feel that I am part of the country, that I have an interest in its welfare and a responsibility to it. As a slave I was only property, something belonging to somebody else. I had nothing to call my own. Now I am treated as a man. I am a part of society.”

William Henry Singleton sought and embraced freedom. He recognized his responsibility to help foster a nation that understands, appreciates, and pursues the liberty outlined in the Declaration of Independence. On this Juneteenth 2026, may the citizens of the United States echo Sergeant Singleton’s words and mirror his spirit of liberty.

See below for a video about Singleton from the NC Dept of Natural and Cultural Resources as part of its celebration of America and North Carolina’s 250^th anniversary.

“Anxious to be free: William Henry Singleton’s life of liberty” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.