1814

May 23: Eri L. Barr, believed to be the first black Adventist minister, is born in Reading, Vermont.

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1816

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John West, the second black Adventist minister, is born enslaved in Baltimore, Maryland.

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1818

William Ellis Foy, later a black Millerite minister, is born in Kennebec County, Maine.

1823

January 9: William J. Hardy, an early black Adventist and the first elected black politician in the state of Michigan, is born in New York State.

1826

July 13: William F. Minisee, one of the first black Adventists, is born in New York State.

1827              

November 26: Ellen Gould Harmon (later White) is born in Gorham, Maine.

1831              

August 14: William Miller starts to preach the return of Christ "about 1843."

1833              

November 12-13: The leonid meteor shower occurs. Frederick Douglass, then a 15-year old slave in Talbot County, Maryland, writes this of the event: “I witnessed this gorgeous spectacle, and was awestruck. The air seemed filled with bright descending messengers from the sky. It was about daybreak when I saw this sublime scene. I was not without the suggestion, at that moment that it might be the harbinger of the coming of the Son of Man; and in my then state of mind I was prepared to hail Him as my Friend and Deliverer. I had read that the ‘stars shall fall from heaven,’ and they were now falling. I was suffering very much in my mind. … I was looking away to heaven for the rest denied me on earth.”

1835

William Foy is converted and baptized by Silas Curtis, pastor of the Freewill Baptist church in Augusta, Maine.

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1840

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November 1: A letter appears in Signs of the Times from William Miller lamenting that he could not attend the first Millerite General Conference: "I had set my heart on this, to see and to hear Brothers Jones, Litch, Ward, Cole, Himes, Plumer, Millard, Burnham, French, Parker, Medbury, Ayres, Smith, and others. Yes, and then to see those private brethren, too; Br. Shaw,—ah, I can see him smile; Br. Nichols—I feel his benevolent shake of the hand; and Br. Wood, too—but I cannot name them all. Those colored brethren, too, at Belknap St. with Christian hearts; Heaven, I hope, has stamped them as its favorites. Oh! I had vainly hoped to see you all, to breathe and feel that sacred flame of love, of heavenly fire; to hear and speak of that dear blessed Savior’s near approach."

1842              

January 18: William Foy has first vision in religious gathering at venue on Southock (currently Phillips) Street in Boston.

February 6: Pastor J.B. Husted and several members of Second Methodist Episcopal Church request Foy to share his visions the next day at their church. Foy consents.

February 7: Foy speaks on his visions to Second Methodist Episcopal Church on Bromfield Street in Boston.

March-May: Foy commences speaking tour on his visions. The Harmon family (including daughter Ellen) attend Foy’s lectures and hear about his visions.

1843

March 15: Josiah Litch reports in Signs of the Times: "The glad tidings of the coming of the Lord, is received with the greatest joy by the poor colored people, as being the only hope they have of deliverance. Whenever the subject of the Lord’s coming is named to them their eyes sparkle with joy; it is, you may be assured, a far more welcome sound to them, than to their rich lords. O what an hour of interest to them, when the trump of Jubilee shall sound, and the servant be free from his master. All efforts at emancipation before that hour are perfectly vain and futile. As long as human nature is what it is, and the love of power which is now inherent in the human breast, exists, slavery will exist. But, “The year of Jubilee is come.” Thanks be to God. “Be patient, brethren, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh,” is the only comfort I can give the slave."

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March 29: Josiah Litch notes in Signs of the Times: “The colored people likewise sent in their request for lectures.”

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April 5: Signs of the Times notes that “A pious Negro, recently a slave in Virginia, when asked if the slaves knew any thing about the coming of Christ, replied, that the pious slaves do, and they have been praying about it these ten years, but the whites knew nothing about it.” How could they know it? They were taught by the spirit, as good old Simeon was, about Christ’s first coming. Daniel says the wise, (that is the pious) shall understand."

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May 25: During a Millerite meeting at Boston Anniversary Week a collection of $30 was taken up for John W. Lewis, "a highly esteemed colored preacher, who is ready to spend his whole time and strength in laboring among that much neglected class of our brethren, with whom he is most closely connected."

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June 14: Charles Greene reports from Philadelphia that "Public meetings have been constantly held in the city, (the hitherto neglected colored population being particularly attended to,) while laborers have been sent to the adjoining states, and through the blessing of God, much good has been done."

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Summer: Sojourner Truth (formerly Isabella Van Wagener) visits and speaks at two Millerite camp meetings.

December 9: A letter from Mary J. Lewis, "a very intelligent colored sister, in Mississippi, who chanced to be in this city at the time of the "Tent Meeting," and became a convert to the Second Advent faith" appears in the Millerite paper The Western Midnight Cry.

William Still, a black preacher who spent his life working with the Anti-Slavery Society and the Underground Railroad, accepts the Millerite teachings. He wrote in his 1886 autobiography: "In 1843 the lectures of Father Miller (as he was called) on the Second Coming of Christ fell into my hands, and were read with great interest. I never before had had my mind awakened to the idea of any literal reign or restitution. I therefore resolved to read whatever I could find in the Bible and out of it bearing on the Second Coming. In doing so I was struck with the seeming harmony which existed between the great Book and the doctrines of those who discussed the subject. I felt that, however variant opinions were, or whatever was said, He must come. No part of the Bible had such an influence in determining my convictions as Matthew, chapter 24. Nevertheless, I never got so far as to believe that any man was infallible, nor that any one understood all there was in the Scriptures, nor that, if the predicted time of the coming failed, I was to have no faith in the Bible, but I was persuaded, rather, that 'neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, should separate us from the love of God which is in Christ.' So when 1843-4 passed, my faith and hope remained unchanged in the All-Supreme."

1844              

February 14: Joshua V. Himes writes, "The colored people have opened the Wesley Chapel in Sixth St. to us, and seem to be much interested in the doctrine. We shall continue here, Providence permitting, over the Sabbath."

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March 6: Joshua V. Himes writes, "Many of the colored people have received the doctrine. One of their most efficient ministers has embraced the doctrine in full, and will devote himself wholly to the proclamation of it. The people of color will therefore have a congregation, where the Advent doctrine will be fully proclaimed."

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April 6: Millerite preacher Enoch Jacobs reports: "In passing through one of the streets towards the close of the day, I discovered an aged man of color, leaning upon his staff, and as his countenance had a worn, and lonely appearance, the thought struck me that he was a proper subject to receive joyfully the whole truth of God....I asked him if he had heard anything about the Saviour’s soon expected Advent? He said he had not, only by way of derision, and was anxious that I should tell him about it. I gave him some brief outlines of the doctrine, and stated to him my full belief in what the prophets had spoken.—Every feature of his countenance seemed to kindle with joy as lie said, "Oh how glad I shall be to have it true."

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April 24: Millerite preacher S. Chapman writes from Rhode Island: "From this wicked place I went to South Kingston, and held a series of meetings with the natives, or colored people, at their new meeting house, which was kindly opened for that purpose. The people came together here as in Charleston, for nearly two weeks, during which time the whole church became revived, and many sinners were converted, nearly all of whom, as in C. heartily embraced the advent faith; the good work in this place was not confined to the colored people."

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Summer: William Foy has third and fourth visions.

October 22: Tens of thousands of Millerites' belief that Jesus Christ will return to earth does not occur, resulting in what became known as "The Great Disappointment." 

December 7: Black Millerite preacher William Watkins writes: "It cannot but be a source of gratification to you and your invincible coadjutors, amidst your fiery trials, to learn that there is in Baltimore a small, but firm band of colored Advent believers, who, notwithstanding their late grievous disappointment, still see cogent reasons for clinging, with unwonted tenacity, to the heaven-inspired hope of soon seeing “the Lord HIMSELF descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.”

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1845

January 3: William Foy registers The Christian Experience of William E. Foy with Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the state of Maine and it is entered according to an act of Congress. Christian Experience is published shortly after.

William Foy attends meeting in which Ellen White describes her vision. Foy interrupts White exclaiming that he had similar revelation.