PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Historical Society will present the lecture In the Service of America: Berkshire's Black Soldiers and Veterans of the Revolution, by historian Cynthia Farr Brown. 

 

The free event takes place on Feb. 26.

 

The lecture will look at some of the stories of the Black men from the Berkshires who served in the Continental Army and as minutemen and militia during the American Revolution, as well as what happened to veterans living in the Berkshires after the war was over. 

 

Historical records reveal the stories of lesser-known Revolutionary War veterans from Berkshire County, including Frank Duncan, Bacchus Boardman, and Paul Freeman. These individuals served alongside the more famous Agrippa Hull, each with their own unique story of service and sacrifice. Boardman, originally from eastern Massachusetts, served in New York before settling in Pittsfield. Freeman, enslaved at the time of his service, was promised freedom after the war but had to petition the town of Sandisfield to honor this promise after his former enslaver died.

 

This free, virtual lecture will begin at 5:30 pm; email melville@berkshirehistory.org for zoom link. 

 

Presented as part of the Berkshires250 celebration of the anniversary of the American Revolution.

 

Brown volunteers with the Berkshire County Historical Society at Arrowhead. She also serves on the executive committee of Berkshire Educational Resources K12 (BERK12). She has a doctorate in United States history and her scholarly publications have included co-editing the institutional history, "Lesley University: Celebrating Excellence 1909-2009" as well as other book chapters and articles. She is currently Senior Associate Commissioner for Regulatory and Veterans Affairs at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.