In his autobiography, A Son of the Forest, William Apes tells of being born in a tent in the woods of Colrain, Massachusetts, to a Pequot mother and a mixed blood (White and Pequot) father. Soon after, his family moved to Colchester, Connecticut, and his parents separated. His childhood and youth were unsettled and at times harsh, though he was able to attend six terms of school.

Apes became a Methodist preacher, writer, and orator. He wrote and spoke against racism and injustices toward Native peoples. In 1836 (his name now spelled “Apess”), he delivered his “Eulogy on King Philip,” whose Wampanoag name was Metacom. The eulogy defied traditional White views of Metacom’s (King Philip’s) War (1675-1676), portraying him as a hero who died for his country. Apes’ writings and orations helped publicize the plight of Native peoples during this time.