Over the lifetime, William Harvey Carney lived a full life. What I mean by that is that he went from a low place in life to a higher state. Over the course of his life, William Carney made more advancements in life than you would think. This all being due to the time period and that fact that he was born a slave. William Harvey Carney was born February 29, 1840 in Norfolk, Virginia to William Carney and Frances Carney. William Carney went from being born into slavery to being rewarded the highest military honor, the Medal of Honor. After the military, William Harvey Carney would go on to work at post office. Carney later retired and took a position as a messenger at the state house, in which he delivered government officials documents. Carney would die in Massachusetts on December 9, 1908 at the age of 68 leaving behind his wife, Susannah Carney and his daughter, Clara Heronia Carney. William H. Carney was again born as a slave. One of the advancements that he had in his life was when his father, William Harvey Carney Sr. William Carney Sr. had to escape from slavery with the use of the underground railroad. After escaping to be free, William Carney Sr. worked his way up until his family was granted freedom due to the Fugitive Slave Law in the late …show more content…
He was one to overcome what you would’ve thought was the impossible looking back at it now. Of the top with Carney beginning born into slavery you, would think that he was put at a disadvantage to do what he did. He overcame that. Then Carney learned to read and write, a trait that many African Americans didn’t know how to do. In addition to that Carney went into battle, saw that someone need to step up and help and with no hesitation he was the man there. Because of that he was award the Medal of Honor and was the first African American to do so. With all this being said, this is William Harvey Carney is significant to