author
A. H. (Alexander Herritage) Newton
1837–1921
Born free in North Carolina under slavery, this minister and Civil War veteran wrote a vivid memoir shaped by faith, endurance, and hard-won experience. His best-known book, Out of the Briars, brings together personal history, military service, and a life in the A.M.E. Church.
1 Audiobook
Out of the briars : an autobiography and sketch of the Twenty-ninth Regiment, Connecticut volunteers
by A. H. (Alexander Herritage) Newton
About the author
Born in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1837, Alexander Herritage Newton later described himself as a free child of a free Black mother living within the system of slavery. He became known as a minister, writer, and veteran of the Civil War, and his life story reflects both the pressures and possibilities faced by African Americans in the 19th century.
Newton is best remembered for Out of the Briars, published in 1910. In that autobiography, he recounts his early life, his service with the Twenty-Ninth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, and his years of religious work. The book was written in part to preserve personal and community history, and it still stands as a valuable firsthand account.
He died in 1921. Today, Newton is remembered for leaving behind a record of struggle, service, and conviction in his own words.