Monday, February 14, 2011

Ned Hector — Free Black Colonial Soldier, Wagoneer, Respected Patriot, Hero

Ned Hector, a black revolutionary soldier from the Battle of Brandywine (portrayed by Noah Lewis) "charges" a British canon-firing unit (people from the audience) during a program at the Hickory Corner Branch of the Mercer County Library. The program was sposored by the Friends of the Library. Michael Mancuso/The Times



Black history and American history are intertwined and part of our same shared history, if I may paraphrase just a little of what I learned from Noah Lewis' presentation.

A few other interesting items:
People of color fought on the British side as well as American.
All blacks were not poor and enslaved.
The US military would never be as integrated as it was during the American Revolution again until July 26, 1948, when President Truman issued a then controversial executive order that called for equality of treatment for all persons in the armed services, without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.

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