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Prince Estabrook, Slave and Soldier (Carter G Woodson Award Book (Awards))

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When envisioning the tense faces of Lexington militia on April 19, 1775 staring at the British regulars as they approach the green, rarely does one place a black face among them. None of the subsequent paintings of the Battle of Lexington included black participation. Through careful research, Alice Hinkle has pieced together into a lively narrative the shards of evidence extant on one such African American. Prince Estabrook's life and those of other local African American patriots of the American Revolution are illuminated in her book--Prince Estabrook, Slave and Soldier. In elevating the visibility of African Americans in colonial Lexington and surrounding towns, she has done a great service. New England slavery and military service are research topics that have yet to be thoroughly explored. Alice Hinkle shows presence of the past by interviewing Charlie Price the Lexington citizen that has taken on Prince Estabrook's role for a number of years in the April 19th town reenactment of the Battle of Lexington. In addition, an appendix offers a black patriots' trail for those who would like to visit sites in the Boston area connected with black patriots. A thoroughly enjoyable read, Prince Estabrook, Slave and Soldier, inspires one to want to delve further into the topic.

This book should be required reading for American history buffs and students. Hinkle sifted through Lexington's past and managed to find enough of Prince Estabrook to give us a peek into his life as a slave and a revolutionary soldier more than 200 years ago.