Gimme a break. Hadda bombshell dropped on me today regarding our Revolutionary War and the African-Americans who served in it. How about ONE THIRD of Cornwallis' army in the battle of Yorktown ... were BLACK. Yep. From the colonies. When the British heard of the upcoming French interference, they began recruiting hard, promising freedom and self-worth. Overall, about 80 to 100,000 slaves joined up with the British army. Can you imagine? Then there are all the stories that go along with these numbers, brilliantly laid out in new research by historian Simon Schama in his fab new book, Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution.
The must-hear interview with him on Kojo's show is enlightening all the way through.
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