On April 19, 1775, the first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Among the colonial Minutemen who confronted British troops that day were both Black and white soldiers, fighting side by side for freedom. Notably, Peter Salem, a formerly enslaved African American, stood at the front lines and later became a recognized patriot hero for his service at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The participation of Black militiamen at Lexington and Concord is a powerful reminder that African Americans have defended American ideals from the nation’s very first battle — even while denied full liberty themselves.
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