Benjamin “Pap” Singleton was born on August 15 1809 in Nashville, Tennessee. Pap was known in Nashville for an escaped slave and a cabinet maker. He escaped slavery, many times in his life. Pap was a slave for 37 years before he escaped. He helped many other slaves escape also. Over 2,000 slaves followed him until they reached freedom. Pap was a leader of the great exodus, and was called “Father of The Black Exodus”. It is still unknown if he was ever married or had children. After the end of the Civil War, he moved back home to be a carpenter.

One time after being sold into the deep south he escaped to Canada, where he lived for a few years. He then made way for Detroit, Michigan. In Detroit he opened a boarding house that housed many