Crispus Attucks, a Black man who was the first of five to die in the Boston Massacreof 1770, is said to be one of the first martyrs to American independence. Eyewitness reports credit Attucks with shaping and dominating the action, and when the people faltered, he is said to have been the one who rallied them and encouraged them to stand their ground.

http://www.africanamericans.com/CrispusAttucks.htm

Wiki entry.

"Little is known for certain about Attucks other than that he was killed in the Boston Massacre. Fragmentary evidence suggests that he may have been of African and Native American ancestry. In the early 19th century, as the Abolitionist movement gained momentum in Boston, Attucks was lauded as an example of a black American who played a heroic role in the history of the United States. Because Crispus Attucks may also have had Wampanoag Indian ancestors, his story also holds special significance for many Native Americans."

The Boston Massacre was the assault, by an armed mob, on a British sentry unit guarding a warehouse on the Boston docks, with orders not to defend themselves -- orders this mod was well aware of. The mob was out for blood from the soldiers, and was throwing snowballs with broken clam shell "razor blades" embedded in them, and threatening the soldiers with violence, taunting them to fire on the mob. Eventually, someone yelled "fire", and in fear for their life, the soldiers did.

John Adams was the council for the British soliders in the ensuing trial, because none of the Crown lawyers would touch the case. He believed firmly that everyone who was accused should get fair representation, and that America should be a Nation of laws. There are so many African American heroes of the Revolution, you don't need to canonize Crispus, though it has been consistently done throughout our history. Yes, this is one of the outstanding moments in American history, but it's because innocent Men, the soldiers who were being attacked, were NOT murdered.

He was leading a politically motivated mob. His status as a hero is dubious at best.

Here, have some real heroes of the American Revolution!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p51.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p37.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p13.html

When I lived in Boston I would go to the Old Granary Burying Ground and visit the grave the place where it happened is right in front of the Old State House look for the cobblestone circle when you visit Boston go on the freedom trail.

We learned about Crispus in school - there's more to the man than the Boston Massacre.