-image from D is for Drinking Gourd, An African American Alphabet

On April 19, 1775, British troops marched from Boston to Lexington. Prince Estabrook was standing on Lexington Green, gathered with other local Minutemen, prepared to fight and defend his country. And fight he did. One of Captain John Parker’s company, Estabrook was later listed among the wounded of Lexington.

After the skirmish at Lexington, British troops headed down the road to Concord. Peter Salem and other local Minutemen were there to meet them. Salem helped guard Concord’s North Bridge from British attack. As more and more Minutemen responded to the call of alarm, the British turned and fled back to Boston where the sheltering guns of British warships floating in the harbor would keep them safe. Salem followed the British back to Boston and joined militia companies pouring in to keep a watchful eye on the British. The Seige of Boston had begun.

Prince Estabrooks and Peter Salem were just two of the 5,000 African Americans who fought in the Revolutionary War. From the first shot fired at Lexington to the surrender of Yorktown, black patriots took part in every major engagement of the war. Today we honor these Founding Fathers of our nation.