Salem Poor, a formerly enslaved Black man and soldier in the American Revolutionary War, was recognized by 14 officers for his extraordinary bravery at the Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775). On this day, December 5, 1775, those officers submitted a formal petition to the Massachusetts General Court praising Poor, stating:
“A Negro Man called Salem Poor… behaved like an experienced officer, as well as an excellent soldier… In the person of this Negro centers a brave and gallant soldier.”
Poor’s courage was so notable that he became one of the few African Americans publicly commended during the Revolution. In later years, a memorial was dedicated to him in Cambridge, Massachusetts, honoring his service and sacrifice.
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