William Harvey Carney (February 29, 1840 – December 8, 1908) was an African American soldier during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Fort Wagner.
His actions at Fort Wagner preceded those of any other black recipient but was not presented with the honor until nearly 37 years later. He was the 21st African-American to be awarded the Medal, the first recipient having been Robert Blake, in 1864.
After the war he worked at a post office and was a guest speaker at public events until his death in 1908.
Read more about William Harvey Carney: Biography, Later Life
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““Can’t” is what our grandparents said about the airplane.”
—Richard Blake, and William Cameron Menzies. Stu Kelston (Arthur Franz)
“Called on one occasion to a homestead cabin whose occupant had been found frozen to death, Coroner Harvey opened the door, glanced in, and instantly pronounced his verdict, “Deader ‘n hell!””
—For the State of Nebraska, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the beauteous land.”
—Julia A. Fletcher Carney (1823–1908)