Liberty Billings

Liberty Billings (1823 - 1877)[1] was an officer in the Union Army, a Unitarian minister, and a state senator. An African-American, he served as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War.[1] He was a Radical Republican during the Reconstruction Era and served as a state senator in Florida. He was involved in the constitutional convention that developed the 1868 Florida Constitution.[2] Billings has been honored posthumously as a Great Floridian.[3] He was the second in command of the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment.[1]

Billings House in Fernandina Beach, Florida
Billings Great Floridian plaque

Billings was born in Saco, Maine in 1823.[4]

He was deemed ineligible to participate in the constitutional convention and was voted out along with others accused of being residents of other states.[5]

The Billings House in Fernandina Beach, Florida is part of the Fernandina Beach Historic District. His Great Floridian plaque is at his family home at 222 North 5th Street in Fernandina Beach.

References
  1. Kevin M. McCarthy (2007). African American Sites in Florida. Pineapple Press Inc. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-56164-385-1.
  2. "Liberty Billings, Florida's forgotten radical Republican | fau.digital.flvc.org". fau.digital.flvc.org.
  3. "Liberty Billings- Great Floridians 2000 - Blue Plaques on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com.
  4. "Who was Liberty Billings?". fernandinaobserver.com.
  5. Society, Florida Historical (January 10, 1972). "Florida Historical Quarterly" – via Google Books.
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