William Saunders Crowdy
William Saunders Crowdy | |
|---|---|
Prophet Crowdy, the central illustration of "This Coal-Black Dowie Says Earth Is Square," an article by William T. Ellis, syndicated in multiple newspapers, 1907 | |
| Born | Wilson Saunders Crowdy August 11, 1847 Charlotte Hall, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | August 4, 1908 (aged 60) Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Resting place | Triangle Cemetery, Suffolk, Virginia |
| Occupations | Religious leader Soldier |
| Organization | Church of God and Saints of Christ |
| Movement | Black Hebrew Israelites |
| Military career | |
| Branch | Union Army United States Army |
| Service years | 1863–1872 |
| Rank | Quartermaster Sergeant |
| Unit | 5th Cavalry Regiment |
| Conflicts | American Civil War |
William Saunders Crowdy (August 11, 1847 – August 4, 1908) was an American soldier, preacher, entrepreneur and pastor. He was also one of the earliest known Black Hebrew Israelites in the United States: he established the Church of God and Saints of Christ in 1896 after he claimed to have had visions telling him that "Blacks were descendants of the twelve lost tribes of Israel."