The role of black Americans, free and enslaved, in the regiments of the Continental Army is not well-known; neither is the fact that relatively large numbers served in southern regiments and that the greatest number served alongside their white comrades in integrated units. John U. Rees will discuss black soldiers’ acceptance, service, and experiences during and after the War for American Independence in this SAR 250 Speaker Series presentation titled, “‘You never see a regiment in which there are not a lot of negroes:’ Black Soldiers Serving in the Continental Army.” African American women with the army will also be featured, including a Connecticut soldier’s letter sent home to his wife who also spent time in camp.
Rees, a lifelong resident of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, has been writing for almost 40 years on the experiences of common soldiers and women in the armies of the American Revolution. He has authored over 200 articles and monographs since 1990 on various aspects of the common soldiers’ experience, focusing primarily on the War for Independence. Most are available free online. His first book, “They Were Good Soldiers:” African Americans Serving in the Continental Army, 1775-1783 was published in 2019; his second, titled Don Troiani’s Black Soldiers in America’s Wars, 1754-1865, came out in January 2025.
