Harvey Van Blerkom, 2016

-Slaves Fought in the war

-They would do what was needed

-They would fight even though they weren’t allowed to arm themselves

-They would fight because they were promised freedom for their services

-The British sent a recruiting notice to the best behaved slaves to join the army

-Two years later, George Washington matched the offer, but he did so reluctantly

-The slaves were disposable, so they would do the worst jobs

-One job was to move smallpox victims

-2/3 of the fighters in Yorktown were Africans

–Great Hopes Plantation Interpreter, Oct. 20, 2016