Moses Roper Marker Unveiled
A state historical marker commemorating the life and achievements of Moses Roper has been erected at the intersection of NC Hwys 119 and 57 in Semora.
On a damp Saturday morning, February 21, community members gathered with David Beck, Roper Highway Historic Marker applicant; Leslie Leonard, NC Highway Historical Marker Program Administrator; and Dr. William Andrews, editor ofNorth Carolina Slave Narratives in Semora to celebrate the unveiling of the state historical marker commemorating the life and accomplishments of Moses Roper.
Born in Caswell County in 1815, Roper was barely more than a child when, after multiple attempts, he successfully escaped slavery in 1834. Within a couple of years, he made his way to Great Britain where he became one of the first formerly enslaved persons to provide British audiences with a first-hand account through lectures and the publication of a narrative detailing many of his lived experiences as an enslaved person.
At Saturday's unveiling ceremony, Milton's Mayor, Angela Upchurch shared that when researching Moses Roper and his life, she had found one piece of his story to be particularly poignant - Roper's desire to return home to Caswell County, home to his mother.
Moses Roper died in Boston in 1891 after collapsing in a train station. He was traveling alone with his faithful dog at the time and buried in a pauper's grave.
Upchurch told the group gathered on Saturday that, for her, the marker's placement seemed in some way like Moses Roper finally making it safely back home to Caswell.
