When one thinks of the American Revolution, one thinks of powdered wigs and pale skin. In reality, however, African-Americans (both free and enslaved) played a substantial role in the war. The conflict between Elijah and Kate reflects the choices facing Black Americans at the start of the Revolutionary War.
African-American Patriots were a part of the conflict from the very beginning. Crispus Attucks, a Black American, was the first casualty of the war. “Be not afraid!” were the words he supposedly shouted, rallying his fellow Patriots before pandemonium exploded on Boston Common and he was killed. Blacks had already been enlisted as Minutemen in the Massachusetts militia, and many more across the North joined the ranks of the Continental Army. Despite this, in July of 1775 George Washington sent an edict to his recruiters telling them not to enroll “any deserter from the Ministerial army, nor any stroller, negro or vagabond.” This ruling was eventually reversed due to lack of manpower.
Meanwhile, in that same year, the Loyalist Lord Dunmore (the Royal Governor of Virginia) sent out a proclamation promising freedom to Blacks, especially the slaves of rebel Patriots, in exchange for service to the Crown. This was actually the first large-scale emancipation of slaves in the United States.
For additional information on this topic, I suggest reading 1776 by David McCullough and African Americans in the Revolutionary War by Michael Lee Manning.
If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more of my multicultural historicals, check out Agnes Moor’s Wild Knight, the story of a Black woman and her Highlander in medieval Scotland, and Let It Shine, the story of a Sofie, a ‘good girl’ who becomes a nonviolent resistor in the Civil Rights movement, and Ivan, the Jewish boxer who teaches her that being bad can be good, too (available in The Brightest Day anthology).
If you’d like to get updates about new releases and exclusive short stories, sign up for my newsletter!
Best,
Alyssa