Prince Estabrook was an African American man born around 1740 or 1741, likely in Lexington, Massachusetts, who was enslaved by Benjamin Estabrook, a local farmer and grist mill operator. Despite being enslaved, Prince became a member of the Lexington militia and is historically recognized as the first Black soldier to fight in the American Revolutionary War
. His most notable contribution to American history was his participation in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775, the first armed conflict of the Revolution. Prince stood with Captain John Parker’s militia against the advancing British troops. During the skirmish on Lexington Green, he was wounded by a musket ball in his left shoulder, making him the first Black soldier wounded in the war
. After recovering, he continued to serve in the Massachusetts militia and the Continental Army through the duration of the war, participating in various regiments and engagements, including guarding the Continental Army headquarters during the Battle of Bunker Hill
. Following the war, Prince Estabrook was emancipated, as Massachusetts abolished slavery through a state Supreme Judicial Court ruling that declared slavery incompatible with the state constitution. He lived out his life as a free man, eventually moving to Ashby, Massachusetts, where he died around 1830
. Prince Estabrook’s legacy is honored by a memorial near Buckman Tavern in Lexington, dedicated in 2008 to recognize him and the many other Black patriots whose contributions were long overlooked
. In summary, Prince Estabrook’s key historical significance lies in his role as a pioneering African American combatant in the Revolutionary War, his bravery at the Battle of Lexington, and his embodiment of the struggle for liberty by enslaved people during America’s founding conflict.
