Michael G. Shiner (c. 1805–1880) was an African-American Navy Yard worker and diarist who chronicled events in Washington D.C. for more than 60 years, first as a slave and later as a free man.

[1] The diary has numerous entries which have provided historians a firsthand account of the War of 1812, the British Invasion of Washington, the burning of the U.S. Capitol and Navy Yard, and the rescue of his family from slavery as well as shipyard working conditions, 1835 Washington Navy Yard labor strike, Snow Riot, racial tensions and other issues and events of nineteenth century, military and civilian life.

Although often described as "The Diary of Michael Shiner", the first section of the manuscript is a narrative memoir written and arranged chronologically of the important events he witnessed in his youth.

In his book he concentrated primarily on the significant public events in his life; which he witnessed or read about, combined with some limited but important personal incidents and concerns.

Michael Shiner one of the most remarkable colored men of the District who remembers almost everything that occurred at the Navy Yard during his service of some 60 years there is of this number.

Writing in 1878 he recalled, "At the time of the battle of Bladensburg [ Wednesday 24 August] 1814 I was living with my master near where Grant Row now is in on East Capitol Street ...

During the War of 1812 information regarding Archibald Clark's successful escape to the British may have circulated among the Pumphrey brothers enslaved workforce and to the young Michael Shiner.

[17] In his early twenties, Shiner attended a Sunday school run by the First Presbyterian Church of Washington at the foot of Capitol Hill which had opened for free and enslaved blacks in 1826.

Black attendees during these years were numerous, and included many community leaders and activists such as: Moses Liverpool, Nicholas Franklin, Thomas Smallwood, Alethia Tanner and Sophia Bell.

[22] As an enslaved laborer Shiner's movements were on occasion carefully observed and recorded in the navy yard station log i.e. 27 and 28 December 1828.

[23] At the Washington Navy Yard the names of enslaved men like Michael Shiner, were routinely entered on to military muster rolls as "ordinary seamen" to avoid congressional oversight.

[24] This subterfuge was a common device used by slaveholders, Michael Shiner's for example is enumerated number 39, on the Washington Navy Yard muster dated 1 January 1827, his rating is given as Ordinary Seaman or O.S., see thumbnail.

He records one incident where he was surrounded by a mob of thugs who "lit me up torch fashion with firecrackers" and another where he had to flee a gang of sailors who mistook him for a runaway slave.

[26] Like many people who worked at the navy yard Shiner paid attention to the elements and is careful to record unusual weather such as the Year Without a Summer of 1816.

In 1829 he records: "went out to the fire at that time a little before the bell rang for twelve and stayed at the garrison until between 1 and 2 o'clock in the night and the coldest night i ever felt in my life the hose were led from the garrison to reservoir at the market house it were so cold that the hose freeze up they formed lines in different sections passed the water with a bucket to the fire they worked like men there were a little Disturbance occurred between a fire[men] from the city and Samuel Brigs a firemen[sic] of the an a casta [Anacostia River] But that was soon settled by captain Wm Easby interfering Which at that time were Master Boat Builder of the Washington Navy yard that Wher a Hard Winter they wasn't 2 cord of Wood on the commercial Wharf they wasn't no Wood in the navy yard [ illegible] and they were not ten ton of coal in the yard they were condemn from War" He also noted celestial phenomena e.g. Leonids meteor showers Nov. 12 1833: "The Meteors fell from the elements the 12 of November 1833 on Thursday in Washington.

Writing in July 1835, Shiner recounts how white mechanics through threats intimidated black caulkers into quitting work on the USS Columbia: "and they wher fifteen or twenty of them here at that time Caulkin on the Col lumbia and the Carpinters made all of them knock oft two."

[35] William Pumphrey's manumissions may have been prompted by his Methodist faith, but more likely they served to insure the solvency of his estate by promising his bondsmen; freedom after a specified time thus precluding fear of a massive slave sale and a follow on movement into the deep south.

When Thomas Howard died in 1832, his will stipulated that Shiner be "...manumitted and set him free, at the expiration of eight years,[1836] if he conducted himself worthy of such a privilege".

After being held a few weeks in the Alexandria slave prison with help from Key and other wealthy and powerful connections; Phillis and the three children were declared free by manumission.

[48] "In a hierarchical slave city like Washington, the involvement of such influential white men was invaluable, and the forging of this powerful network of allies was only possible through Shiner's work in the Navy Yard.

[58] One startling example occurred on 7 January 1861 when the Washington Evening Star, ran a story that "Mike Shiner and his wife(colored) had been arrested on suspicion, and warrants have been issued against he others supposed to be implicated in the burglary".

[59] A similar story ran the following day in the Daily National Republican, this titled provocatively " Robbery and Arson" and stated, " a colored man living in the neighborhood,by the name of Mike Shiner, and his wife were arrested on suspicion, but his premises being examined and nothing found and evidence of guilt appearing against his, he was released.

They then added "Mike Shiner is a very respectable colored man, an employee in the Navy Yard, his house was searched but nothing against him was discovered and he was discharged.

[67] Mary Ann (see thumbnail) also became a registered midwife and a subject of gossip for her flamboyant lifestyle, alleged wealth, living openly with her spouse as an interracial couple and for leaving her large estate to her two white stepsons.

[74] Shiner though gradually grew disenchanted with the Republican Party's persistent failure to protect the rights of newly freed blacks.

[75] Speaking at meeting of the Twenty -first District Republican Club, in objection to a motion Shiner, spoke bluntly, informing the gathering ..." the only master he had now was the Constitution, and he intended to abide by the laws.

He was buried the next day, in the segregated Beckelts Cemetery AKA Union Beneficial Association Cemetery, located on C Street, SE, Washington D.C.[78] On 19 January 1880, the Evening Star published a front-page obituary of Shiner, writing that Shiner was "a well known colored man..." and that he had "...the most retentive memory of anyone in the city, being able to give the name and date of every event which came under his observation, even in his boyhood.

Among the papers concealed in this box were two quarto volumes in manuscript, containing an old Negro's personal recollections of Washington - the place and the people in the period from 1813 to 1868.

The presentation was described as "A breathless tale of antebellum days in the District of Columbia, written in bad, but lyrical English by Michael Shiner, a colored slave with a flair for pointed comment on monstrous events"[87][88] The Diary/manuscript was featured in the March 2002 Library of Congress exhibit, An African-American Odyssey.

and only one block from the navy yard, Michael Shiner's life is now commemorated on Heritage Trail marker number 9 with a brief biography and depiction of his now famous 'book", (see thumbnail).