Who was African Americans?

Answer 1

First, it should be noted that the term "African-American" is fairly recent. Back in the time of the colonies, the word used was "Negro." One of the first Negroes we know about was Phillis Wheatley, a slave who was taught to read and write by the family in Boston who purchased her. She went on to become a well-respected poet, beginning in the 1760s. Another well-known Negro was Crispus Attucks, a free man who was killed in the Boston Massacre. Another black man who lived around that time and became prominent was a Mason and an abolitionist named Prince Hall. But unfortunately, since most of the slaves who were brought to the colonies were not well-known, and even most of the free black men and women were rarely mentioned by the press, it is difficult to know who was living in the colonies and who was not. Thus, it is also difficult to accurately answer this question.