William Lambert Homesite

William Lambert, a black leader in Michigan for almost fifty years, lived on this site. Born in New Jersey about 1817, he moved to Detroit as a young man and became active in the antislavery movement. In 1843 he helped organize the first State Convention of Colored Citizens and served as its chairman. Urging blacks to participate directly in the struggle for freedom and equality, he helped prepare an address to the citizens of Michigan outlining black grievances and demanding full civil rights. He was also prominent in the Underground Railroad and in early efforts to secure education for black children. After the Civil War, Lambert continued to work for black rights and operated a successful business. He died in 1890.