America’s Forgotten Soldiers: The Black Patriots Project
As she grew up, Dymond Bush heard her grandmother’s stories about her relatives and lineage dating back to the origins of the United States.
Bush joined the non-profit organization Daughters of the American Revolution, and would spend her days off from her job as a librarian in the Rhode Island State Archives researching her family tree.
That’s where she discovered she was a direct descendant of two Black Patriots who fought in the Revolutionary War.
“To get that proof and validation. My family was here. My family belongs here. We’re part of the development of this great country,” said Bush.
One of them is Michael Anthony, who was a free Black man who fought in Rhode Island’s 1st Regiment. That specific group was famous for being primarily made up of African American and Native American soldiers.
“Sharing this history and documenting this history is really important,” Bush said.
A member of the DAR, Bush had to provide birth and death certificates, marriage proof for every generation dating back to the relative who fought in the Revolutionary War.
It took Bush a few years to gather all the information to prove she was a direct descendant. The U.S. Census did not begin recording African Americans by name until the 1850s. Despite that, Bush said it was easy to find the paperwork.
For descendants of enslaved Patriots, it can be much more difficult to track down documentation. Many enslaved people did not have birth or death certificates, and many were buried in unmarked graves. Taryn Kennedy, a Research Specialist for African American Genealogy with the DAR said people who were enslaved were likely listed in deeds and wills because they were considered property.
“It’s a privilege for us to be able to find this information, learn about our people and figure out how we got to be where we are today,” said Kennedy.
Solomon Titus Taylor learned firsthand how difficult it is to research a Patriot’s lineage who was enslaved. He spent several years researching his family’s line.
“I was in the Marine Corps, and I would come home on leave and I would sit and talk with [my grandfather] and I would gather names,” Taylor said.
His years of research led him to Ishmael Titus, an enslaved person in Virginia. Titus was later sold to Lawrence Ross in North Carolina. Like many slave owners, Ross enlisted Titus in the Continental Army to fight in his place.
According to Titus’ war papers, he served in many battles, including the Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina. Although that battle was a pivotal victory in the colonies’ fight for freedom from the British crown, Taylor said Titus ran away to the north to be free. Taylor said Titus was likely illiterate and when he signed his war papers, he simply wrote an X. In 1832, when Titus applied for a war pension in Massachusetts, where he lived, he was denied because there wasn’t a signature with a name. It wasn’t until 2013 that the state of North Carolina officially acknowledged Titus as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Today, many states and genealogical societies like the DAR and Sons of the American Revolution have dedicated teams of researchers to uncover more Black Patriots. The DAR even has a section on their website with tips on how to research Patriots of Color.
“We are still uncovering our history. We could still be learning about our nation 250 years later and that speaks volumes, said Kennedy who now helps others research their own family lineage.
Kennedy recommends talking to older family members about names and stories. That’s the best place to start when researching your family tree.
“We need to make sure the generations behind us understand that this has been our journey. And those who came before us should be recognized for what they’ve done,” said Taylor.
To learn more about your family tree visit:
dar.org/discover-your-family-story
sar.org/african-american-participation-in-the-american-revolution
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