The Battle of Bunker Hill, fought on June 17, 1775, was one of the first major engagements of the American Revolution, and Black American soldiers played a visible and courageous role. Among the most recognized was Peter Salem, a formerly enslaved man from Massachusetts who fought with colonial forces on Breed’s Hill. He is often credited with firing the shot that killed British Major John Pitcairn, a key officer leading the assault. Another Black patriot, Salem Poor, distinguished himself with such bravery that fellow soldiers formally praised his “gallant conduct” in a petition to the Massachusetts legislature.

Black men, both free and enslaved, served in integrated New England militia units, standing shoulder to shoulder with white soldiers. Though the British ultimately seized the hill, heavy losses proved the colonial forces could stand against the empire’s army. For Black Americans, participation in battles like Bunker Hill reflected a profound contradiction: fighting for liberty while many remained enslaved yet asserting their stake in the nation’s founding ideals of personal liberty.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

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