Most people that learn about Crispus Attucks are surprised to find that the first casualty of the Revolutionary War was half runaway slave, and half native American. A lot of us will admit that it's not the image that we get in our heads when we hear stories like the ride of Paul Revere or Crossing of the Delaware. The paintings that exist of this event clearly do not attempt to show Attucks. But for those of us who stumble across his story, weare usually surprised that a man with so little power could have possibly had such a great influence, likely most that we will never know about. Even though he remains obscure to many in our day, at least some of us can appropriately appreciate his sacrifice, what affect it might have had on the war, and the hastening of the fight for civil rights that came afterward.
It was because he was so willing to get involved for a cause that initially ended up helping only white land owners, never to be enjoyed by himself personally, it likely put race relation discussions on the table in this country much earlier than they might have otherwise made it there. Thus perhaps by the Civil War era, more of us were ready to listen, too, to the principles of equality that actually formed the American Revolution, even if the war itself didn't instiitutionalize all of its own principles.. Through this man, the goals set out in the declaration of independence and the war that followed just may have been realized earlier than if he had never lived.
BIOGRAPHY OF ATTUCKS
The racial status, along with any other men without money, of Attucks means that very few of his activities before participating in the Massacre are known with certainty. One thing that makes it difficult to nail any definite information down about Attucks is that while some of us don't know him very well at all, for others he has become such a cult figure that legend has had a great amount of time to spring stories up around him. His mixed races are generally thought to be accurate but only folkore tells us the names of his parents, including that his father was an African-born slave and his mother a member of a tribe outsitde of Boston. Legend goes on to give Attucks every profession from rope maker to whaler to general tradesman, when there is no evidence to suggest any of these claims with certainty. Fortunately, none of this seemed to be what was memorable about him.
There seems to be a good deal of connection with Attucks and Brooklyn, whether or not he lived there, because it was the hotbed of abolitionist activity in the north. There were still a great number of owned slaves there and also in Massachusetts, where he settled to be closer to the political rhetoric about the war and also to find work. Another issue of debate was Attucks' role in the Massacre. Some say he was one of the ones egging the fight on, but the more popular version has him peacefully leaning on a stick when the firing began, thus telling the story of his passively receiving two fatal wounds in the chest. But because each side likely comes with a bias, it will probably not be possible to ever know for sure.
THE DETAILS OF THE BOSTON MASSACRE
There had long been contention between the Bostonians and the British because it was believed that taxation and other policies had hurt the economy there. And it didn't help that to handle the situation, Britain sent over reinforcements to the area to make sure order was kept. It is not known what precipitated the particular events of the Massacre, but one night, town bells began to ring and townspeople came out of their homes and eventually threw snow and other objects at the soldiers. Attucks and his men were believed to have thrown nothing more deadly than a stick among them. Whether or not Attucks participated, it doesn't sound as if he used a weapon of war. That is probably one reason why it could be called a "massacre," a word that is usually reserved for an attack on defenseless people that didn't deserve it.
Six men in total were mortally wounded, with five dying at the scene. They were defended by John Adams, who with a claim of self defense, got all but two of the soldiers off with pleas of self defense. These two were given the choice of either death or branding on the thumb. A rather easy choice, and so two British soldiers got away with no more than a few numbers on their hand.
LEGACY OF ATTUCKS ANDSPECIFIC COMMEMORATIONS
Unfortunately for them, dying tends to be a good way to focus attention on the accomplishments of an individual'slife. In this case, his legacy will never stop growing because many are constantly learning of this brave militiaman who was a loyal soldier for his country even though both sides of his heritage are not usually associated with that reputation unfortunately.
In his immediate day, news of Attucks' death was probably horrifying to his family and fellow abolitionists, but it probably also gave them renewed vigor to fight the cause, for both the Revolution at hand and the broader racial battle to come. It is likely that this senseless death with little punishment of the guilty aroused symptathy and courage from white fighters, too, and taught them that blacks can be loyal to their country, perhaps eventually employing them more in the military, strengthening their numbers for what seemed initially to be an unwinable war.
Even today his name is mentioned frequently in speeches encouraging those of race to be brave and loyal and to win credibility for their cause in honorable ways. He is commemorated every year in both Boston with a plaque commemorating ' Crispus Attucks' Day' along the Freedom Trail in Boston. The Boston Common also erects a twenty-five foot monument to Attucks. To show that there is still much appeal and relevance of his story, a dollar coin was recently released with his image to celebrate heroes of the revolution. And in Indianathere is an all boys' school named after him.
For a man like this, when so little was known about him that survives, to have all these honors, including mention in a Martin Luther King Jr. speech, it clearly shows that the acts of bravery he performed speak to every generation of oppressed people to give them hope and courage,just like it spoke to the colonists to help them beat the odds and throw off their own oppressors. But perhaps those honors are not too great for a man who sped along the actual acceptance and implementation of the once theoretical belief that 'all men are created equal.'