{"title":"American Revolution","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAmerican Revolution — Black Patriots Who Fought for a Nation Still Defining Freedom\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen the thirteen colonies declared independence from Britain in 1776, thousands of African Americans took up arms — fighting for a nation that had not yet decided whether they deserved to be free. Their service was an act of profound courage, contradiction, and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eKey Figures \u0026amp; Units\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCrispus Attucks\u003c\/strong\u003e — a Black man and the first American to die in the Revolution, killed at the Boston Massacre in 1770, five years before the war began\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1st Rhode Island Regiment\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the first officially integrated military units in American history, composed largely of enslaved men promised freedom in exchange for service\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePeter Salem\u003c\/strong\u003e — a formerly enslaved soldier who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill and is credited with killing British Major John Pitcairn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJames Armistead Lafayette\u003c\/strong\u003e — an enslaved man who served as a double agent for General Lafayette, providing intelligence that helped secure the victory at Yorktown\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEstimated \u003cstrong\u003e5,000+ Black soldiers and sailors\u003c\/strong\u003e served on the Patriot side throughout the war\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe Contradiction They Lived\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlack Patriots fought for liberty while living under bondage. Many were promised freedom for their service — promises that were kept for some and broken for others. Their sacrifice helped birth a nation, even as that nation debated their humanity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir story is the foundation of Black military service in America — and it begins here.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur American Revolution collection honors the Black Patriots who answered the first call.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVeteran-owned | Secure checkout | 24\/7 ordering support\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0689\/5452\/1845\/collections\/when-the-thirteen-colonies-declared-independence-from-britain-in-1776-thousands-of-african-americans-took-up-arms-fighting-for-a-nation-that-had-not-yet-decided-whether-they-deserved.png?v=1777566871","url":"https:\/\/black-soldiers.com\/collections\/american-revolution.oembed","provider":"Black Soldiers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}