IN Focus: Crispus Attucks (c. 1723 – March 5, 1770)
Crispus Attucks was the first person killed in the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770—making him the first American to die in the fight for independence. A man of African and Native descent, Attucks was not only a symbol of resistance against British tyranny but also a reminder that Black Americans have been at the center of the American story since its inception.
Though he was likely an escaped slave working as a sailor and dockworker, Attucks boldly joined protestors confronting British troops. When the shots rang out, it was his body that hit the cobblestone first. For centuries, his name has echoed through the freedom movements that followed—from abolition to civil rights.
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INerasable: Crispus Attucks' Legacy
His death was the beginning of a revolution. Crispus Attucks is INerasable not only because he was the first to fall—but because he represents how Black sacrifice laid the foundation for American freedom. When textbooks skip his name or reduce his identity, they erase a truth that threatens the myth of who America was built by.
Attucks is a symbol of courage, resistance, and the refusal to be excluded from liberty. To forget him is to forget the very roots of the American Revolution.
Art IN Context: Revolutionary Grit in Early Comic Style
Crispus Attucks is rendered in the bold, dynamic style of 1920s/40s comic art—thick lines, halftones, and dramatic contrasts that emphasize urgency and heroism. By using a form often reserved for caped crusaders and mythic warriors, this piece reclaims Attucks as the real-life hero he was.
This visual language brings energy and motion to his legacy, freezing the moment of impact in a timeless frame. It's not just history—it's action. It's not just a past—it’s a call to remember who stood first, and why. He is, and always will be, INerasable.
IN Depth: Resources to Learn More
Books & Articles
- Crispus Attucks and the American Revolution – Harvard Black History Project
A historically grounded classroom curriculum examining Attucks' life and martyrdom in the context of the Boston Massacre.
➤ https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/news/crispus-attucks-american-revolution - The Hidden History of the Boston Massacre – William M. Fowler Jr.
A revealing account of the events leading to the Boston Massacre, including the overlooked role of Crispus Attucks.
➤ https://www.upne.com/1555537818.html
(Note: Out of print but widely cited and available through libraries and used bookstores.) - Crispus Attucks: Black Leader of Colonial Patriots – Dharathula Millender
A young-reader-friendly biography celebrating Attucks as the first American to die in the Revolutionary cause.
➤ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6067146-crispus-attucks - Crispus Attucks and the American Revolution – National Archives: DocsTeach
An educational article and primary source teaching tool about Attucks’ identity and sacrifice.
➤ https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/crispus-attucks
Archives
- Crispus Attucks Biography – History Channel
Offers a concise overview of Attucks' life, emphasizing his identity as both a seaman and a symbol of Black patriotism.
➤ https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/crispus-attucks - Massachusetts Historical Society – Boston Massacre Resources
Primary documents and commentary relating to Attucks and the Massacre, including trial transcripts.
➤ https://www.masshist.org/features/massacre - Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum – Crispus Attucks Exhibit Page
Honors Attucks’ symbolic legacy and role in the revolutionary movement.
➤ https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/crispus-attucks
Multimedia
- Crispus Attucks: The First to Defy, the First to Die – YouTube Documentary
A short yet powerful documentary detailing Attucks’ mixed heritage and revolutionary legacy.
➤ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdVrcznt1uw - Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution – History Channel (Narrated by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
A broader contextual doc that features Attucks as a foundational figure in the fight for American independence.
➤ https://www.history.com/specials/black-patriots-heroes-of-the-revolution - PBS: The American Revolution – Crispus Attucks Segment
A segment spotlighting Attucks’ role in one of the Revolution’s defining events.
➤ https://www.pbs.org/video/american-revolution-crispus-attucks/ - Museum of the American Revolution – Crispus Attucks Virtual Exhibit
Includes digital artifacts and updated interpretation of Attucks’ legacy.
➤ https://www.amrevmuseum.org/learn-and-explore/crispus-attucks
Exploring Art Styles (Early Comic Art / Heroic Muralism Hybrid)
- The Art Story – Comic Art
Chronicles how comic book aesthetics shaped the mythologizing of American icons—ideal for framing Attucks’ heroism.
➤ https://www.theartstory.org/movement/comic-art/ - Library of Congress – Comic Art Exhibition
Explores visual storytelling traditions that elevate marginalized figures into national consciousness.
➤ https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/comic-art/ - Smithsonian Magazine – The Cultural Legacy of Comics
Examines how comic-style art amplifies public memory—relevant for depictions of Attucks as a folk hero.
➤ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/comic-books-american-history-180959305/
IN Revolution. IN Sacrifice. INerasable.
