History books are replete with heroic stories of Washington, Jefferson,
and Adams, but what of Allen, Russwurm, and Hawley? America's Black
Founders celebrates the lesser known but significant lives and
contributions of our nation's early African American leaders. Many know
that the Revolutionary War's first martyr, Crispus Attucks, a dockworker
of African descent, was killed at the Boston Massacre. But far fewer
know that the final conflict of the war, the Battle of Yorktown, was
hastened to a conclusion by James Armistead Lafayette, a slave and spy
who reported the battle plans of General Cornwallis to George
Washington. Author Nancy Sanders weaves the histories of dozens of men
and women--soldiers, sailors, ministers, poets, merchants, doctors, and
other community leaders--who have earned proper recognition among the
founders of the United States of America. To get a better sense of what
these individuals accomplished and the times in which they lived,
readers will celebrate Constitution Day, cook colonial foods, publish a
newspaper, petition their government, and more. This valuable resource
also includes a time line of significant events, a list of historic
sites to visit or explore online, and Web resources for further study.