As white men were fighting for their freedom in the Revolutionary War, many African Americans were also caught up in the fight for independence from England. American of African descent Crispus Attucks was one of five killed in the Boston Massacre of 1770, and men of color were among the minutemen at the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker and Breed’s Hills. However, some Revolutionary War leaders attempted to stop African Americans from participating in the war, fearing the blacks would believe they were fighting for their own rights. When the British began to recruit blacks by promising them freedom, the white patriots reconsidered and allowed about five thousand African Americans to serve.
The engraving you’re referring to is an iconic piece of American Revolutionary War propaganda. Created by Paul Revere in 1770, it depicts the Boston Massacre, which occurred on March 5, 1770.
Here’s a bit more detail about the context and the engraving:
The Boston Massacre:
- Event: On March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five people and wounding several others. The incident was a result of heightened tensions between the colonists and British authorities, fueled by the presence of British troops in the city and ongoing disputes over British taxation and colonial autonomy.
- Casualties: The victims included Crispus Attucks, a Black man who is often remembered as the first martyr of the American Revolution, as well as Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, and two others.
Paul Revere’s Engraving:
- Artist: Paul Revere, who is better known for his midnight ride, was also an accomplished silversmith and engraver.
- Purpose: Revere created the engraving to serve as a piece of propaganda, illustrating the event in a way that would stir up anti-British sentiment among the American colonists.
- Imagery: The engraving portrays the British soldiers firing into a crowd of unarmed colonists. The soldiers are depicted as lined up in a disciplined row, firing into the crowd, while the colonists are shown as innocent and defenseless. Revere’s portrayal was designed to emphasize the brutality of the British forces and to incite colonial outrage.
- Impact: The engraving was widely distributed and used effectively to rally colonial support against British rule. It played a significant role in shaping public perception of the event and bolstering the cause of independence.
Revere’s engraving was more than just a depiction of a violent event; it was a strategic piece of political art aimed at mobilizing public opinion and galvanizing resistance against British control. The Boston Massacre, as portrayed by Revere, became a powerful symbol of British oppression and a catalyst for the American Revolution.