Patriotic Pedigree Event highlights role of city residents, blacks in Revolutionary War By BRIAN BOYD
Standard-Times staff writer
NEW BEDFORD — People of all backgrounds could possibly trace their roots back to Revolutionary War heroes, including many from this area.
The Sons of the American Revolution and others called attention to these historical links as they gathered yesterday, in advance of Patriots Day, to remember soldiers of the American fight for independence. They celebrated the overlooked contributions of African-Americans, as well as New Bedford area residents, during the Revolutionary War.
SAR, an organization for descendents of American patriots, collaborated on the event with the Parting Ways Project, which recognizes African-American veterans of the war.
Wayne "Ibn Musa" Barboza, founder of Parting Ways, said African-Americans' self-esteem has suffered from the lack of knowledge about their ancestors' sacrifices.
"We're paying a price for not knowing the honor and integrity our forefathers had," Mr. Barboza said in a speech at the Whaling Museum.
The event began with visits to County and North streets — three patriots, Diah Trafford, Thomas Cooke and Abram Russell, died fighting British soldiers at the location — and the grave site of a Revolutionary War hero, William Bliss.
Participants later heard a presentation on Buffalo Soldiers, African-Americans who fought in the Indian Wars, and witnessed the induction of a city resident into SAR.
Roughly 5,000 blacks served in George Washington's army, about 10 percent of the total number, said Joseph W. Dooley, chairman of a SAR national committee raising awareness of black, Indian and female patriots. City Councilor Viola Pina, master of ceremonies, said she never knew the extent of African-American service in the war.
"I'm proud," she said.
Addressing the lack of recognition, Dr. Roland G. Downing, president general of the National Society of the SAR, announced his organization posthumously restored the membership of civil rights leader W.E.B. DuBois.
Mr. DuBois descended from Tom Burghardt, a slave who won his freedom after fighting in the Revolutionary War. He resigned after the organization questioned his ancestral connection, scrutinizing the link far more than normal for the time, Mr. Dooley said.
Dr. Daniel W. Brown, a tenured professor of German at Tufts University, spoke about the contributions of Buffalo Soldiers while wearing the traditional cavalry uniform of the time period.
"Black youth need positive heroes," Dr. Brown said after the event. "I think the Buffalo Soldiers are very positive in terms of the history of America."
Americans of all backgrounds could potentially trace their roots to the Revolution, said Bill Battles, Massachusetts SAR vice president and treasurer.
The New Bedford area might be home to more than 1,000 grave sites of fallen Revolutionary soldiers, he said, so there could be the same number of living relatives.
The event is "important because it highlights the history and contributions not only of the African-American folk the event was supposed to recognize, but it also highlights the history of New Bedford," said Eddie Johnson, a city resident who helped make yesterday's ceremonies happen.
The sacrifice of soldiers from all eras, including those fighting in current conflicts, was another theme of yesterday's event. Mayor Scott W. Lang read the names of Massachusetts residents who died in operations in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
City resident Kenneth Enoch Sutcliffe officially became a member of the Sons of the American Revolution at yesterday's ceremony, joining his father, Kenneth, of East Freetown.
"It's quite an honor," said Mr. Sutcliffe, a 29-year-old English teacher and descendant of Richard King, a veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill. "I feel proud of the connection with the past."
Contact Brian Boyd at bboyd@s-t.com
Standard-Times staff writer
