Away to freedom: African American soldiers and the War of 1812

This research will address several key historical realities overlooked in reference to African Americans during the War of 1812. One, that African Americans played a significant role in the successes of United States military conflicts during the war. Two, an acknowledgment that African Americans used military service as a way to demonstrate their legitimacy as American citizens. Finally, military service proved to be a viable method of resistance to the institution of slavery during both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. I will pay particular attention to African Americans who escaped slavery to enlist in Six Companies of British Colonial Marines resettled in Trinidad upon conclusion of the war.