Date of Graduation
12-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
History
Advisor/Mentor
Gigantino II, James
Committee Member
Banton, Caree
Second Committee Member
Woods, Randall
Keywords
Abolition; African American History; American Revolution; Cultural Citizenship; Early America; Military History
Abstract
This work reconstructs the experiences of Black Patriot soldiers during and after the American War for Independence. Specifically, it examines the realities of their military service and the ways in which they used it to generate social, economic, and political capital for themselves, as well as for the broader Black community in America. Central to these arguments is the concept of “cultural citizenship,” the vehicle through which these Black veterans intentionally wielded their service to suit their unique needs within the American body politic. Frequently this meant literal freedom; however, Black Patriots often had more nuanced motivations for joining the cause. Despite Black soldiers being treated as pariahs and receiving the worst and most dangerous assignments, their service during the war was successful in forcing policymakers to recognize the honor and worthiness of Black service. Although their service did not prompt instantaneous change, and racial tensions remained caustic in the era of the Revolution, Black service resulted in advances in civil liberties and recognition for these soldiers during the war. Following the war, these veterans wielded the legacy of their service and the nation’s founding documents in myriad ways to secure personal and communal uplift. On a personal level, Black veterans leveraged their service in an increasingly nationalist environment to gain access to privileges and assistance otherwise reserved for Whites—most notably through the pension system in the 1810s and 1830s. Black service also gave rise to a new generation of Black abolitionists, many of whom were veterans themselves—who used the legacy of military service to advocate for Black civil recognition and the franchise, as well as to attack slavery by leveraging Black service. This study meaningfully challenges some long-standing misconceptions about Black soldiers’ role in the Revolution. These include the suggestion that freedom-seeking was primarily associated with the British by reassessing the notion of freedom. We know Black freedom-seeking predated the Revolution itself, with origins in Black communities and among Maroons, for example. Although the war offered the possibility of emancipation for enslaved Blacks, freedom meant different things to different members of the Black community in America. For free Blacks in the North, for example, the “freedom” secured through military service often meant socio-economic advancement within their communities. This analysis also challenges long-held conclusions about Black service, from the disproportionate service of African Americans in the British versus the Patriot ranks, to the suggestion that Black arms-bearing was non-existent in the Continental Army. Black arms-bearing was commonplace for Black Patriots who made substantive and meaningful contributions to military operations. Furthermore, not only did they bear arms, but they were also quite often exposed to the most dangerous assignments. Following the war, these veterans provided a unique perspective to abolition, imbuing the movement with their unique lived experiences, wielding cultural citizenship to promote Black rights and attack slavery.
Citation
Perusich, T. C. (2025). Rise Up: How Black Soldiers and Veterans Defined the Revolutionary Era. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6050
