Birth: 1723 in Framingham, Massachusetts
Death: March 5, 1770, in Boston, Massachusetts
Historical Role/Pertinence: Crispus Attucks, an Afo-Indigenous sailor, was a victim of the Boston Massacre.
Crispus Attucks, an Afo-Indigenous sailor, was a victim of the Boston Massacre. He was shot in the chest by British soldiers. He became known as a martyr for the American Revolution. Little is known about Crispus Attucks; however, the image that appeared in the Boston Gazette in 1770 is what he is speculated to have looked like. Black abolitionists still acknowledged his legacy and created "Crispus Attucks Day" to commemorate his life. Attucks, amongst other victims from the Boston Massacre, were buried in the Granary Burying Ground.
Associated Exhibits
This exhibit explores how patriotism in pre-war and post-war America, touched the lives of Black Bostonians between 1770-1830. Manifestations of Black patriotism changed throughout the course of the Revolutionary era, particularly when it became clear that the battle for American freedom did not encompass Black American freedom.
Bibliography
“Crispus Attucks (U.S. National Park Service).” U.S. National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/people/crispus-attucks.htm.
“Crispus Attucks.” PBS, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p24.html.