Crispus Attucks was an American sailor and a stevedore who is believed to be the first person killed during the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. He has been made into a folk hero as the first ever American to sacrifice his own life during the American Revolution. He is considered a symbol of American patriotism and was elevated to the status of an icon of the anti-slavery movement in the mid-19th century. While the exact details about his family and life are not known, it is believed that he was born to an African-born slave and a Natick Native American. He was probably an escaped slave who went on to rebuild his life as a successful free man—a rarity in the 18th century when slavery was rampant in America and Africans were considered properties of the white men. On March 5, 1770, he led a group of people in a protest against a British soldier who had hurt a young barber’s apprentice. The feud became intense and a troop of British soldiers opened fire on Attucks and his men, killing a few and injuring many. Attucks was the first man to die. This incident proved to be a major catalyst in the early stages of the American Revolution. Following his death, he was lauded by the supporters of the ‘abolitionist movement’ and was widely recognized as an African-American man who played a significant role in shaping America’s history.
