Featuring: Larry Kenneth Alexander
Transcript:
In the fiery crucible of revolution, in November 1775, a proclamation shattered the chains of silence, and defiance echoed across the American colonies. John Murray, the Earl of Dunmore and Virginia’s last royal governor, took an extraordinary and audacious step. He declared liberty for all indentured servants, Negroes, or others who were able and willing to bear arms for the British cause. This was no mere statement; it was a clarion call to justice. By the end of that month, 300 Black men, bound by courage and galvanized by the promise of freedom, rose to the challenge. Led by British officers and sergeants, they became the Royal Ethiopian Regiment, not just soldiers but a living, breathing testament to the unyielding pursuit of liberty.
This cohort of Black colonials, known as Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment, was more than a military force—it was a transformative force. Their uniforms bore a fierce declaration, “Liberty to Slaves.” These words were not just stitched into cloth; they were stitched into history. Though these brave souls knew their survival was uncertain, they marched into battle not as the enslaved, but as free men wielding the ultimate weapon: hope. Their sacrifices, they believed, would not fade into the shadows of time but blaze as a beacon for the liberation of all enslaved Black people across the 13 British American colonies.
By January 1776, months before the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence, these warriors had already faced the enemy at the battles of Kemp’s Landing and Great Bridge. They were not alone. Following their lead, other Black regiments emerged: the Jersey Shore Volunteers, the King’s American Dragons, the Jamaican Rangers, the Mosquito Shore Volunteers, and the Black Brigade. These men stood shoulder to shoulder with British troops, from the battlefields of the North to the streets of occupied New York, their resolve unshaken. But this was more than a war for independence. The sight of Black men on the battlefield, fighting for freedom and seizing the chance to cast off their chains, terrified Southern slaveholders and challenged Northern patriots to confront a brutal truth. Their revolution, their cry for liberty, was inextricably bound to the enslaved Black colonial struggle for liberation in accordance with the rule of English law.
The American fight for independence carried the weight of an unspoken promise: freedom under the rule of law, not just for some, but for all. Though the Ethiopian Regiment evolved into the Black Pioneers by May 1776, their mission endured. Their sashes, still emblazoned with “Liberty to Slaves,” remained a defiant symbol of hope. On June 30, 1779, their sacrifices bore fruit. British General George Clinton issued the Philipsburg Proclamation, a sweeping declaration of unconditional liberty for all enslaved Black individuals across the embattled colonies. This was more than a proclamation—it was a triumph of the human spirit. These brave men, who had once been denied their humanity, now stood as living proof of the power of courage and conviction.
Their legacy is a reminder that liberty is not given—it is demanded, fought for, and earned. The Ethiopian Regiment’s fight was not in vain, for it became a cornerstone in the foundation of justice, a call that still resonates, a promise yet to be fully realized. Let us remember them, honor their sacrifice, and continue their fight for freedom and equality for all. Please share and visit our website at Wells Center on American Exceptionalism and look for future videos in this series.