The Attucks-Lee-Banneker Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is putting an important emphasis on honoring patriots of African heritage.
It's joining the America 250-Ohio semiquincentennial celebrations with a program Feb. 15 honoring a handful of Revolution-era people whose contributions have been overlooked and rediscovered.
"We have the opportunity to ... present those narratives that you don't often hear about," chapter Vice Regent and Registrar Michelle Cousins Wherry tells WVXU.
The event at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center features four speakers who are descendants of, or have ties to, Black Revolutionary War-era patriots.
"We want this narrative to be told far and wide that it took all of us," Wherry says. "You had Blacks, you had free Blacks, you had enslaved, you had Europeans from so many different nations. You had our Jewish population. ... You had Indigenous peoples that all came together.
"I think that one of the things that we forget about, we have to put ourselves into that time period when you're looking at how vast and open this country was, and for everyone to cooperate like that, I want everyone to feel that they have a part of the fabric of this country. We are all a thread of this wonderful tapestry," she adds.
Speakers will include:
- Mark Attucks, JD — descendant of Crispus Attucks; will discuss Attucks' contributions and the Boston Massacre
- Karen Sutton, Ph.D. — descendant of the Nickens Nine; will examine the lives of nine African American men from one family who served in the Revolution
- Muriel Roberts — descendant of Plato Turner; historical re-enactor
- Nikki Williams Sebastian — genealogist and research educator; will discuss researching your roots and getting started with genealogy
The Rediscovered Patriots event is Sunday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Attucks-Lee-Banneker Chapter
The Attucks-Lee-Banneker Chapter formed in October 2024 with a mission to highlight forgotten patriots. At the time of formation, it was reported to be the first official DAR chapter to honor male Patriots of African Heritage. It seeks to honor all peoples who fought during the Revolutionary War, including Indigenous peoples, Jewish peoples, men and women of African descent and various European ethnic groups.
The chapter has 18 members who hold hybrid meetings so members who aren't in Cincinnati may participate. They're actively accepting new members.
The chapter's name honors three such people: Crispus Attucks, William "Billy" Lee, and Benjamin Banneker.
The chapter provided the following biographies:
Crispus Attucks: Born 1723 Died March 5, 1770
Attucks, a free man of African heritage led fellow colonists in Boston to stand against British soldiers. He became “the first to defy, the first to die”. The Boston Massacre sparked the American Revolution and Attucks is known as the “first martyr” of the American Revolution.
William “Billy” Lee: Born 1750 Died 1810
Lee, was the enslaved servant of George Washington, before, during, and after the American Revolution. He would have accompanied General Washington on every campaign, and bee a part of every skirmish. Mt Vernon and Valley Forge are two well known locations that chronicle Mr. Lee’s life with General Washington. Only upon Washington’s death was William emancipated.
Benjamin Banneker: Born November 9, 1731 Died October 1806
Banneker was born a free man in Baltimore County, MD. He was a naturalist, mathematician, astronomer, and almanac author. Banneker is known for his many inventions and achievements: the first wooden clock that kept accurate time for decades, his almanac, and being part of the survey team that carved out Washington, D.C.
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