Tribute to the Patriot Black
   
  Little recorded was the Patriot Black,
five thousand or so had fought the fight.
Blacks fought at Lexington as Minutemen;
Black bravery spent for liberty's cause.
Freemen, servants, and slaves were brave.
Whatever their motive; liberty's cause;
Black men fought in every battle.
Many names, were scarce recorded,
yet Black-men bled, American red.
 
 © 03-29-2010 Roger W Hancock www.Liberty.PoetPatriot.com

www.Black.PoetPatriot.com
 

Poor, Black, Royalty
   
  Ephreram and Primas Black,
black-minutemen at Lexington.
Salem Poor, Jude Hall, and Peter Salem
fought together at Bunker Hill.
Prince Easterbrooks and Prince Vaugn,
royalty lost, served for liberty.
 
 © 03-29-2010 Roger W Hancock www.Liberty.PoetPatriot.com

www.Black.PoetPatriot.com

Remembering All Black Patriot and Black British Soldiers.

Estimations have it that over 5,500 Blacks served in the Colonial Malitias and Armies and many more in other capacities. It was the tendency of the black soldier to work harder and fight with greater bravery, although motivated by the hoped for freedom from slavery for all blacks whether slave, servant or free man. Remembrance and honor are due all those who paid a part. They are even more deservedly due the honor in the light that tens of thousands of slaves fled to serve the British Army, having been promised their freedom. There were some who had no choice being placed in the service of the British by their masters.
One slave who joined the British army was a runaway slave. Titus had belonged to a quick tempered Quaker. After runing away he changed his name to Tye. The British, out of respect, gave him the non-commissioned title of Colonel. Colonel Tye became the most respected and feared commander in the war. After the war both sides argued that the war would have been won more quickly by the patriots had Colonel Tye been on the patriot side.
Those Blacks who served the British we should also remember. Honor no, but remember yes. Traitors? I think not. We cannot blame a person who seeks to free himself from the injustice of slavery or those who had no choice in the matter. This mention is in rememberance of those who chose the wrong side in the fight for liberty. If not for the injustice put upon them by White American Slave Masters, that decision would not have been neccessary.

    © November 27, 2011 Roger W Hancock www.Black.PoetPatriot.com

Black Bravery Inspires

Having become afraid of the terror of the war John Greenwood was inspired by the bravery of a Blackman: "... I felt very much frightened, and would have given the world if I had not enlisted as a soldier; I could positively feel my hair stand on end." Continuing, he says, "Just as I came near the place, a negro man, wounded in the back of his neck, passed me and, his collar being open and he not having anything on except his shirt and trousers, I saw the wound quite plainly and the blood running down his back. I asked him if it hurt him much as he did not seem to mind it; he said no, that he was only going to get a plaster put on it, and meant to return. You cannot conceive what encouragement this immediately gave me; I began to feel brave and like a soldier from that moment, and fear never troubled me afterward during the whole war."
Such bravery was not uncommon among the black troups. Among the gallentry it was not uncommon for Black soldiers to put themselves in danger to protect their White commanders. 
From the research I have done it is my opinion the Black troups of the American Revolution may have had more gallentry in battle, than others throughout the war.

    © November 27, 2011 Roger W Hancock www.Black.PoetPatriot.com

Broken Promises

Many slaves who served were promised their freedom only to find themselves enslaved again. Some were able to petition and gain freedom while others lived to fill a slave's grave. Simon Lee honorably served in the American Revolution to be sent back into slavery.
The Black soldier killed in the line of duty was often not give due respect. In New York the bodies of Black patriots were found under old foundations having been placed together and covered over. Whether Colonial or British the Black soldier was often viewed as a lessor person.
General La Fayette wrote in a letter to Clarkson, "I would never have drawn my sword in the cause of America, if I could have conceived that thereby I was founding a land of slavery."

    © April 2, 2010 Roger W Hancock www.Black.PoetPatriot.com

American Racism

Racism begins in ignorance, within the individual. America's Racism began amidst the economic neccessity for cheap labor on the plantations. Racism continued in the animosity against emancipation. Racism continues today in the ignorance of the induvidual.
Now for the Black person: Racism began in slavery. Racism was maintained by injustice. Racism continues today in the ignorance of the induvidual.
Essentially, American racism was born in ignorance, maintained for 200 years by greed to continue today in the ignorance of the individual.
Racism is owned by neither White nor Black.

"I am not Black, but had no control that I am white. My attitudes are in my control; formed by either ignorance or understanding." - Roger W Hancock

    © April 2, 2010 Roger W Hancock www.Black.PoetPatriot.com

Two Contemporary Black Patriots

Free Black Patriots
Memoirs of a Black Soldier * See Ch. 8 & 9
National Black Republican Association
Patriotic Poetry - PoetPatriot.com
Patriotic Haiku Poetry - PoetPatriot.com
Republican's for Black Empowerment
Revolution's Black Soldiers
Slavery and Liberty in the American Revolution
TimeLines of the Early Presidents - PoetPatriot
TimeLines of Presidents - PoetPatriot.com
Veteran Poetry - PoetPatriot.com

Reciprocal Links
American Flags - American, State, World, Featherd flags and more. 
National Anthems -Lyrics and Audio for Anthems of all Countries of the World.
Patriotic Websites of America - Directory of Patriotic Websites - blogs, news, videos, poems, fallen heroes, documents.
Waving Flag Images - Free Flag Animations - Military, State, Historical, Worldwide

Sources:
http://www.vanished.com/pages/african%20data/ASHPORT.html - http://seacoastnh.com/blackhistory/patriots.html
http://www.firstrhodeisland.150m.com/black_soldiers_at_the_battle_of_germantown.htm - http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/nell/nell.html
http://www.westmeade.net/Library/Africans&WomenRevolution.htm#AnneBailey - http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/roberts/summary.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2h2.html - http://www.winthrop.dk/majpit5.html - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Whipple
http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/volume5/october06/soldiers.cfm - http://www.fold3.com/page/747_african_american_patriots_of_the/
Earlier sources were not kept however some names and accounts are among the sources shown and the links above.
Sources are not usually kept for works of art. However, I should have done so for this purpose. Oh well...

Black American Patriots  - Rhymes
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