Petition signed by John Cuffe and Paul Cuffe regarding taxation
date: label: Date
content: December 19, 1780
name: label: Written by
content: Unidentified
label: Signed by
content: John Cuffe, American, 1752 - 1836
label: Signed by
content: Paul Cuffe, American, 1759 - 1817
notes: label: Caption
content: 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.
label: Caption
content: Source: Nancy Bercaw, Curator, Slavery and Freedom
label: Description
content: A petition to the court of Bristol County, Massachusetts, in Taunton written by an unidentified hand and signed by John Cuffe and Paul Cuffe. The text is handwritten in black ink on the front and back sides of a single sheet of off-white paper. The petition is in regards to taxation by the state upon the signatories, who being of Native American descent, are arguing they are therefore not subject to such taxation. The document begins [Humbly sheweth that your Petitioners John Cuff Indian man & Paul Cuff a minor Indian man, Sons of Ruth Cuff Indian woman Inhabitants & Residents within the Town of Dartmouth] and the document ends [the said John & Paul further suggest to your Honour that they are Indian men and by Law not the subjects of
label: Description
content: Taxation for any Estate Real or personal and Humbly Pray Your Honor that as they are assessed jointly a Double Poll Tax & the said Paul is a minor for whom the said John is not by Law responsible or chargeable that the said Poll Taxes aforesaid and also all and Singular Taxes aforesaid on their and Each of their Real or Personal Estate aforesaid may be Abated to them & they allowed their Reasonable Costs and as in Duty Bound shall pray.]. The signatures of John Cuffe and Paul Cuffe are on the top right section of the verso. Also on the verso are several notations in a different hand, including [The Petition of John and Paul Cuffe] at center.
label: Transcription Center Status
content: Transcribed by digital volunteers
place: label: Place made
content: Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Free communities of color
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Justice
label: Topic
content: Law
label: Topic
content: Resistance
label: Topic
content: Slavery
label: Topic
content: Suffrage
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, Revolution, 1775-1783
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
label: Classification
content: Documents and Manuscripts
label: Exhibition
content: Slavery and Freedom
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 3, C3 053
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2009.26.1
objectType: label: Type
content: petitions
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public Domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 8 1/2 × 8 in. (21.6 × 20.3 cm)