Digital Learning Commons: American Revolution: African Americans

Resources

'Liberty to Slaves': The Black Response
The story of how the original thirteen American colonies broke away from Great Britain and formed the United States is well known. Less well known is how African-Americans felt and what they did during the War of Independence.

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Crow, Jeffrey C. “Liberty to Slaves: The Black Response.” Tar Heel Junior Historian, 1992, www.ncpedia.org/history/usrevolution/african-americans.
African Americans in the Revolutionary War
Looks at the role of African Americans from both sides of the war.

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Lanning, Michael Lee. “African Americans in the Revolutionary War.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, 2 Oct. 2016, www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/war-for-independence/essays/african-americans-revolutionary-war.
Dunmore's Proclamation: A Time to Choose
Brief history of Lord Dunmore's Proclamation that, in part, promised freedom to slaves who would fight along with the British.

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“Dunmore's Proclamation: A Time to Choose.” Colonial Williamsburg, www.history.org/almanack/people/african/aadunpro.cfm. Accessed 12 June 2017.
For Blacks, There Was No Clear Choice
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Goodridge, Elisabeth. “For Blacks, There Was No Clear Choice.” U.S. News and World Report, 27 June 2008, www.usnews.com/news/national/articles/2008/06/27/for-blacks-there-was-no-clear-choice.
Lord Dunmore's Proclamation
In this proclamation, created on November 7, 1775, John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, the governor of Virginia, declares martial law and emancipates all slaves and indentured servants willing to fight for the British.
The Revolution's Black Soldiers
Overview of African Americans' role in the war, for both the British and patriots.

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Selig, Robert A. “The Revolution's Black Soldiers.” AmericanRevolution.org, www.americanrevolution.org/blk.php.
The Secret Black History of the Revolution
As we know all too well, the Revolutionary War was not fought so that all men could be free, but its role in creating the seeds of abolition should not be forgotten.

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Gilbert, Alan. “The Secret Black History of the Revolution.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 30 Jan. 2017, www.thedailybeast.com/the-secret-black-history-of-the-revolution.

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Infographic | Digital Maine Library | College Level

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Lord Dunmore	Crispus Attucks	Titus Cornelius
Peter Salem	Salem Poor	James Armistead
Rhode Island First Regiment	Royal Ethiopian Regiment

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