It is interesting and little known that Black patriots fought for independence from Great Britain. Some were slaves fighting alongside their owners but many were free. In my book, We the People – Know the Past, Understand the Present, Secure the Future, you can read the details about a couple of patriots (James Armistead, Virginia and Peter Salem, Massachusetts) that were genuine heroes willing to sacrifice all to attain an independent America. Many of those who were slaves at the beginning of the war obtained their freedom for their service to the country.

James Armistead obtained valuable information as a spy that helped win the battle at Yorktown bringing an end to the war. Jordan Freeman and Lambo (Lambert) Latham both fought bravely at the Battle of Groton Heights, Connecticut giving their lives for the cause of liberty. Prince Whipple, kidnapped on a ship to America to pursue his education and sold into slavery, fought with his owner, William Whipple, a famous leader in Maryland. He attended his owner and was in attendance to General Washington on the infamous crossing of the Delaware River. It was during this time that he gained his freedom by General Whipple. He served both as a soldier and an aide at the highest levels.

Lemuel Haynes, abandoned as an infant by his mother, was taken in by David Rose and his wife who treated him as though he was their own child. They taught Lemuel to love reading the Bible. Even as a youth he held services and preached sermons at the town parish to whites and blacks alike. He enlisted as a Minuteman in the local Connecticut militia and was part of the siege of Boston and the expedition against Fort Ticonderoga with Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain boys. He was an ardent admirer of George Washington and preached numerous sermons in honor of Washington’s Birthday. He was also the first Black American to be ordained by a mainstream Christian denomination and served as confidant and counselor to the presidents of both Yale and Harvard.

The First Rhode Island was a regiment of 125 black patriots- both slave and free – that became known for their bravery and courage. They were commanded by Colonel Christopher Greene and distinguished themselves at the Battle of Newport in 1778 against the Hessian forces. Colonel Greene’s squad was killed with him at the Battle of Croton River in 1781. Others of the Rhode Island First survived and served the remainder of the War. They were with George Washington when he accepted the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.

During the Civil War there were numerous black patriots who fought bravely and proved once and for all that blacks could perform well in battle. Even though they fought courageously in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 it was the Civil War that forever silenced their critics. They have been and continue to be true warriors for freedom and have served in excellence in every war this nation has fought.

After the Civil War there was a fresh move to pass civil rights legislation that gave Blacks full civil rights. The very first efforts to promote civil rights began in the early part of the 18th century with the Quakers, the Presbyterians, and Methodists leading the way. These became the founders of the nation’s first abolition societies. This effort was so successful that by 1767 and 1774, two of the thirteen states abolished slavery and the slave trade with additional states seeking to do so. The fact that King George III vetoed all colonial laws abolishing slavery or ending the slave trade actually caused more of America’s leaders to seek separation from Great Britain.

Another interesting piece of history few know is that in several northern colonies free black men were allowed to vote just like free white men.  President George Washington signed a law prohibiting slavery in any federal territory believing that new anti-slavery states created from these territories would soon outnumber and put more pressure on the slave states to abolish that system.  This never happened because shortly after the deaths of most of the Founding Fathers the Congress changed the rules through what is called the Missouri Compromise.  This opened the door for more pro-slavery legislative victories.  Between 1820 and 1854 there were so many repugnant pro-slavery bills passed that a number of abolitionists in Congress rebelled against the Democrat controlled Congress and started the Republican Party.
Between 1856 and 1860 nearly every plank of the Republican Party platform called for the abolition of slavery and full civil rights for Blacks.  The Democrat Party platform supported the wrongly conceived Supreme Court “Dredd Scott” decision proclaiming Blacks to be property instead of people. The American voters compared the differences and elected Abraham Lincoln president along with a majority Republican Congress which caused an exodus of most southern Democrats choosing instead to serve in the Confederate Legislature. President Lincoln then issued the Emancipation Proclamation which was then backed up by Congress passing the 13th Amendment because Congress doubted the President’s authority to issue this order. It is significant to note the wording for the 13th Amendment was taken from the 1789 anti-slavery law passed under George Washington.

Information in this blog came from WallBuilder Presentations, Inc.

Next Week: Thoughts on history
Dinner Table Discussion Question: Since being a patriot is not based on color, what does it mean to be a patriot? The American military is full of patriot heroes from all ethnic groups – for fun google them.