Throughout Black Historical past Month, it’s worthwhile to recollect early African-American shipmasters. Who was the primary? That’s arduous to say. Paul Cuffe is an effective candidate. An up to date repost.
Paul Cuffe was born on Cuttyhunk Island, MA on January 17, 1759, the seventh of ten kids of Kofi or Cuffe Slocum and Ruth Moses. His father, a free black man, was a member of the Ashanti folks of Ghana. His mom was a Native American of the Wampanoag Nation of Martha’s Winery. Cuffe Slocum was a talented carpenter, farmer, and fisherman, who taught himself to learn and write. In 1766, Cuffe Slocum was ready to buy a 116-acre farm in Westport, Massachusetts.
Paul Cuffe went to sea at 16 on whalers and service provider ships, the place he discovered navigation. Throughout the American Revolution, his ship was captured by the British and Cuffe was imprisoned for 3 months in 1776 in New York. He returned residence to Massachusetts and in 1779 constructed an open boat that he used to run the British blockade, bringing commerce items to Nantucket and ports on the Massachusetts coast.
He constructed up a small fleet of open boats after which moved on to schooners. His first seagoing vessel was the 15-ton Field Iron, adopted by a 25-ton schooner, Solar Fish, and the 40-ton schooner Mary. By 1796, Cuffe constructed Ranger, a 69-ton schooner in his shipyard in Westport. By 1800, Cuffe bought a half-interest within the 162-ton bark Hero. In 1806, he had the 109-ton brig Traveller and 268-ton ship Alpha constructed. By the early 1800s, Paul Cuffe was probably the most rich males of colour within the United States.
Along with his maritime actions, he was additionally politically and socially energetic. His petition to protest the taxation of individuals of colour whereas withholding the fitting to vote was an essential step in granting full citizenship rights in Massachusetts. He established the primary racially built-in faculty in Westport, Massachusetts, and was a vocal abolitionist.
Cuffe was additionally an early proponent of the “Again to Africa” motion, a subject he mentioned with President James Madison, changing into the primary Black man to have a proper assembly with a sitting U.S. president.
Right now, the Paul Cuffe Farm in Westport is a Nationwide Historic Landmark and the Paul Cuffee Faculty, a maritime constitution faculty in Windfall, Rhode Island, is called in his honor.
Captain Paul Cuffe Park on the nook of Johnny Cake Hill and Union Avenue in New Bedford, MA was expanded and re-dedicated on September 21, 2018.
