Title

Petition signed by John Cuffe and Paul Cuffe regarding taxation, December 19, 1780. Creator: Unknown.

Caption

Paul Cuffe was born a free man in Massachusetts. His mother was Native American and his father was of West African Ashanti lineage. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Cuffe gained wealth as owner of an international shipping company. Despite his success, as an African American he was viewed as a second-class citizen and denied equal rights. As a taxpayer, Paul Cuffe petitioned the Massachusetts legislature in 1780 and demanded his right to vote. Free and enslaved African Americans petitioned for freedom, equality, and justice through the courts and state legislatures. They sought to assert their rights, promote their identity as citizens of the new nation, and challenge their status as enslaved people.;Source: Nancy Bercaw, Curator, Slavery and Freedom

Credit line

Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art

Reference

HRM21A73_402

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

License type

Droits gérés

Available size

498,5Mo (20,0Mo) / 107,0cm x 116,7cm / 12642 x 13782 (300dpi)

Keywords

Indian education politics country finance local law letter museum paper native Native American Indians political text location handwriting papers paperwork document tax concept legislation African American African-American B&W American Indian afro-american slavery resistance United States of America taxation Smithsonian Institution rights black & white black and white B W Educational Institution civil rights human rights heritage American America USA equal rights petition scientific institution suffrage indigenous united states poll tax Unknown Paul John Ink on paper cultural heritage Black History Heritage Art National Museum of African American History and Culture NMAAHC petitions Paul Cuffe Cuffe John Cuffe