The guardian., 1952-06-21
Address by
w. Monroe Trotter

am here today with others of my race, to bring the
tribute of all Afro-Amercans to the heFo-Patrios who
fought or fought and died on this historic battlefield one
hundred and years ago for American Independence They
were pioneer builders Of the Republic for they proved that
American patriots under the banners Of Liberty were better
fighters than the soldiers of Britain with the standards OF
tyranny
These patriot soldiers were the forsrunners Of the
Declaration Of Independence and Of the Constitutions the
former Of which declared as seevident truths that A
men are born free and equal and endowed by their Creator
with certain unaienable rights among which life liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness"
Colored Americans were here that day. fighting with
the patriots our ancestors of whom we are Justly pro
and on whom base claim for full liberty and equality
as citizens
Peter Salem was here, as Mayer Curley has told you
When the patriot ammunition exhausted he used his
last round to lay low the British Commander Major Pitcairn
as he gained the rampant and shouted The day ours He
dmmed the British avctory" Edward Everett in public
oration classed him with Prescott Winthrop and Warren
in intrepidity Of spirit at the battle
Salem Poor here that day and the same year twenty
white officers Of the battle reported to the General Court Of
Massachusetts that he behaved like experienced officer
and an excellent soldier and suggested reward for so
brave and gasna soldier such great and distinguished
character
Also Titus eOburn was here and Barzlee Lew the er,
who played Yankee Doodle" Alexander Ames, Cate Howe
Seymour Burr and others
Massachusetts, has erected everlasting public testimony
of the soldiers aid given the United States from the be-
ginning by AfroAmercans The state has erected monu-
ment Boston Common to the martyrs of the Boston
Massacre March l770 which raised in bronze these
words 0n that night the foundation Of American ndpend-
ence lad-Jehn Adams" Above them the first name
chseed so on the stone shaft "erpus Atucks whose
form lies presrate below in bronze first martyr to the cause
of American Independence, and he was an American OF
African descent
In the Colonial cemetery, at birmingham stands grave
IN ffc
Soldier Of the Northumberland Bunker Hl Saratoga
Erected by the Town" This was an AoAmeTican pioneer
soldier for the establishment Of the nation
Opposite the State Capitol erected by the State on
Boston Common stands another monument ine the stene
of which cut these words, 1.-THE black rank and file
volunteered when disaster threatened the Unien cause
served without pay until given that Of white soldiers
brave in seen They gave to the nation and to the weFd
undying proof that Americans of African descent possess the
pride courage and devotion of the patriot soldier 10000
such Americans enlisted under the Union flag from l86165"
They fought to save the country from disruption Thus
AToAmereans again saviors of the Republic after
they had fought in the War of 1912 prevent the recprt
of the country by Great Britain They have fought in every
war even to the last one in Flanders Fields
The Declaration of Independence speaks of sefeviden
truths Today here to state Aro=Amerea self evident
truths Here they are
Since for enc hundred and fifty years Americans d
African descent have proven themselves soldiers to b.
fully human, human in the way as other Americans
are human and equal since for one hundred and y years
these AroAmeeans have proven themselves to be phys
cay human beings just whittier Americans are human
equa since for hundred and fifty years AfroAmercan
have proven themselves through the mastery all advanced
intellectual fields by individuals to be human beings
tally, human just like other Americans human anc
essentially equal then after century and half the Amer
lean and the of the American people ought
to admit that AfrO-Amercans human in the way