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CRISPUS ATTUCKS: African American Patriot

© Maisah B. Robinson, Ph.D.

Little is known about the early years of Crispus Attucks. He was born a slave around 1723 probably in the colony of Massachusetts. His father, Prince Yonger, was an African and his mother, Nancy Attucks, was an Indian and possible descendant of John Attucks, a member of the Natick Indian tribe. John Attucks was executed for treason in 1676 during the King Philip War. The word "attuck" in the Natick language means deer. In 1750, Crispus was a slave of William Brown of Framingham.

Crispus was an expert trader of horses and cattle and did business with white men. He kept the money he made and tried to buy his freedom from his owner, William Brown. However, his owner refused to purchase his freedom because of Crispus' value to him. Because Crispus wanted his freedom, he ran away from his owner. His owner desperately wanted him back and printed a fugitive slave notice in the October 2, 1750 issue of the Boston "Gazette," it read:

"Ran away from his master William Brown of Framingham on the 30th of Sept. last a mulatto fellow about 27 years of age, named Crispus, 6 feet and 2 inches high, short curl'd hair, his knees nearer together than common; and had on a light colour'd beaver skin coat, plain new buckskin breeches, blue yarn stockings and a checked woolen shirt. Whoever shall take up said runaway and convey him to his aforesaid master shall have 10 pounds old tenor reward, and all necessary charges paid. And all masters of vessels and others are hereby cautioned against concealing or carrying off said servant on penalty of law."

Attucks was never caught and nothing is known of the twenty years before he resurfaced again. Historians surmise that he escaped to Nantucket, Massachusetts and sailed as a harpoonist on a whaling ship. During those twenty years, the American colonies were in conflict with England. The colonies resented the fact that they had to buy almost everything from England and were unhappy about the lack of free trade. The most outspoken colony was Massachusetts. British king, George III, sent two regiments into the Boston Harbor in the fall of 1769. The British occupation resulted in many conflicts with the citizens of Boston. According to historian John Fiske, "the soldiers did many things that greatly annoyed the people. They led brawling, riotous lives, and made the quite street hideous by night with their drunken shouts…On Sundays the soldiers would race horses on the Common, or would play 'Yankee Doodle' just outside the church-doors during the services."

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