Were African Americans Patriotic During the American Revolutionary War?

A patriot is a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion. When considering the ways African-American community during the Revolutionary era, I think that they represented some characteristics of a patriot and to a lesser extent they did not represent characteristics of a patriot.

During the struggle for independence, the American society totally ignored black struggles for freedom, against racism and slavery. This neglect turned black Americans into a passive group that was undecided on which side to fight for. For instance, Nash in Race and Revolution notes that the British had made it a policy to offer freedom to any slave that escaped.(Nash 60). With this kind of promise, African-Americans in many areas in North started wishing for the British to win. It is also stated that in the North and South for example, thousands of slaves escaped whenever British forces were in reach. (Nash 60). Based from this explanation, African-Americans to a lesser extent did not represent the concept of patriotism in a unique way.

A specific case was that of a slave; Quaker John Corlies who was named Titus. Titus fled his owner to the South to join the black regiments. A year later Titus moved to New Jersey to organize slaves and free blacks to fight Americans.(Nash 61). Holding other factors that Titus wanted freedom for himself and his people. A patriot is a person who loves, supports and defends his or his country, in this case, Titus did not only fight his fellow Americans but also organized a group to fight Americans. Hence he did not represent a concept of a patriotism in a unique way.

On the other hand, African-Americans to a greater extent represented a true concept of a patriot based on the definition a patriot is a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, especially individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.

Nash in his book Race and Revolutions notes that African-Americans made it clear that they did not regard their requests for freedom as appeals to a merciful master class but a demand for the restoration of inherent rights.(Nash 59). To assert this point for example, Nash notes that four slaves in Thompson, Massachusetts petition the legislature, “We expect your house will….take our deplorable case into serious consideration, and give us that ample relief which as me, we have a natural right to” (Nash 59).

This clearly demonstrates that Black Americans were true patriots who fought for their justice and wanted full rights of a citizen.

The petition of North Carolina Blacks to Congress in January 23, 1797, demonstrates that African-Americans were true patriots. Nash in the book Race and Revolution notes that a group of four slaves petitioned the congress to address the Fugitive law. As noted in the book the four blacks demanded for their rights from congress by explaining how they felt, “..it appears to us a flagrant proof how far human beings, merely on account of color and complexion,…….excluded from common justice and humanity,…”(Nash 188). This statement shows how blacks felt and it can therefore be concluded that blacks were true patriots but still had to fight for justice and rights to be full citizens.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *