Appleton Oaksmith's life was marked by controversy and transformation. Born into a life of privilege, he became embroiled in the slave trade, outfitting ships for the slave trade and even working as a Confederate blockade runner. However, he later underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming a pro-black civil rights politician in North Carolina. His story is a complex and intriguing one, full of twists and turns that span the entirety of the Civil War era. [... more]

Appleton Oakesmith, a man born into privilege, took to the sea and led the U.S. on a wild goose chase that became a political crisis in 1864. He was involved in the slave trade, worked as a Confederate blockade runner, and was eventually pardoned by Ulysses S. Grant. Oakesmith's life took a remarkable turn when he became a pro-black civil rights politician in North Carolina, advocating for black political rights and civil rights in the state legislature. [... more]