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African Americans and Native Americans in the Revolutionary War

  • Friends of Thomas Balch Library, Inc. P.O. Box 2184 Leesburg, VA, 20177 (map)

As of today, it is known that over 8,000 African Americans and Native Americans fought in the American Revolution. Some were free and some enslaved. Whether fighting for the British cause or for the American cause, African Americans and Native Americans were fighting for their Freedom. This talk is based on information extracted from the Daughters of the American Revolution's research on Forgotten Patriots and from other Revolutionary War resources.

Charles Jameson, born in Culpeper VA, was educated in a segregated school system, graduating from George Washington Carver Regional High School in 1965 and from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1970 with a BS in Education. He served in Vietnam for 13 months, 1970-1971, with three units, including the 11th armored Cavalry first of the 5th Mechanized units on the DMZ, and finishing with the 101st Airborne on the Laotian Border. While deployed in Vietnam he earned the Purple Heart, three bronze Stars and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry - a unit citation. Following military service, he entered civilian life pursuing a career as Project Superintendent heavy highway and site development in Maryland and Virginia. Upon retirement, he joined Sons of the American Revolution which has been an enlightening and informative experience as he has learned a lot about his own lineage back to the Revolutionary War and the Culpeper Minutemen. Jameson served as President of the Culpeper Minute Men Chapter Virginia Society of Sons of the American Revolution (VASSAR) from 2020-2022 during which time the chapter was recognized as top a national medium sized chapter. Other honors include being named a Culpeper Colonel by Culpeper Board of Supervisors in 2017, receiving the 2022 NAACP Culpeper Branch 7058, Community Service and Activism Award, and winning the Aging Together 5 Over 50 Culpeper County Award. He serves on the board of Culpeper History Museum, Carver 4 County Museum, George Washington Carver Agricultural Research Center and is Historian for the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter VASSAR.

Pre-registration is required for this event. Please call 703-737-7195, email balchlib@leesburgva.gov or register online https://tinyurl.com/TBLEvents