Black rights activist Henry Highland Garnet dies, shortly after being appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Liberia. Garnet was a powerful abolitionist, minister, and orator known for being the first African American to deliver a sermon in the U.S. House of Representatives. His work emphasized Black self-determination and direct resistance to slavery.

Henry Highland Garnet, a prominent African American minister, abolitionist, and diplomat, died at the age of 66 in Monrovia, Liberia. Garnet was known for his powerful speeches advocating for the end of slavery and was the first African American to deliver a sermon in the U.S. House of Representatives. His appointment as U.S. Minister to Liberia symbolized his enduring commitment to Black liberation and international diplomacy.