Portrait from Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave. Boston: Anti-slavery Office, 1847.
Born enslaved near Lexington, Kentucky, William Wells Brown (ca. 1814-1884) escaped from slavery in 1834. He settled in Buffalo, where he aided fugitive slaves and gave lectures at local antislavery societies. Brown became more active in the abolitionist movement at the national level after participating in the 1843 colored convention and national antislavery society convention, both held that year in Buffalo. Brown also earned fame as a writer, whose works included his 1847 autobiography, the novel Clotel (1853), and the historical work, The Black Man: His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements (1863).
In terms of age and experience, Brown was one of the more senior members at the 1864 Syracuse convention. As an elder statesman, Brown was asked to address the convention formally and was elected to several committees. Settling in Boston after the Civil War, Brown continued to lecture and write for the remainder of his life.