This month marks the 244th anniversary of Richard Henry Lee’s resolution to the Second Continental Congress. It was originally proposed on June 7, 1776, and declared that the United Colonies were poised to be free and independent states, absolving any allegiance to the British Crown.
As legislators debated their decision to vote either for or against the resolution, Congress agreed to delay the vote until July 1. On June 11, 1776 three committees were appointed in response to the Lee resolution, the most significant of these being tasked with drafting a declaration of independence. Committee members included Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson.
What does history uncover about African Americans and the American Revolution? Records indicate that by 1775, more than 500,000 African Americans were living in the colonies. Most were enslaved. While state delegates were moving towards independence, they had failed to put an end to slavery.
At the end of the war, roughly 8,000 black soldiers had served in some capacity. In some states, slave owners were able to prevent themselves or their sons from being enlisted by using slaves a substitute. Most soldiers served in the Continental Army, given that the southern states had conflicting views about enlisting enslaved African Americans. Nonetheless, some men were granted their freedom for faithful service.
Moreover, some enslaved Blacks considered the British side as a better opportunity to escape bondage. Lord Dunmore’s “Ethiopian Regiment” enlisted and armed as many as 300 men until he was defeated and forced to leave Virginia in 1776.