Paul's mother was Wampanoag, his father from West Africa and was an emancipated slave. Paul was raised on the shores of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.
He set out on his first whaling voyage when he was just 12 years old. He went on to become the wealthiest Black/Indigenous fleet owner in the world.
Paul exercised his voice and demanded equality. Unable to vote because of his race, Paul protested and was jailed. His activism was the catalyst for change in Massachusetts tax law - allowing free Black men the opportunity to vote and participate in the new democracy.
During the War of 1812 one of Paul's ships was seized by the U.S. government. He became the first Black man to meet with a sitting president when he went to Washington to petition to have his ship released. He was successful.
Paul's fleet of ships were crewed by Black and Indigenous men. He became a millionaire who invested in his community - giving friends and family the opportunity to invest in his business ventures and gain wealth; he also built and funded the first interracial school-house in the United States.
In the years before he died Paul campaigned tirelessly to relocate former slaves to Freetown, Sierra Leone. After a successful voyage to Africa with 38 people Paul returned home and passed away soon after.
Let's go on this adventure together! Paul had an incredibly rich, layered and complex life. His life is critical in understanding the building blocks of the United States of America. It's time that his inspiring story is told!
Contact us to support the project or more information about the pilot, show bible or short film.
Sign up to get email notifications about the Paul Cuffe Project.
Copyright © 2024 Paul Cuffe - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.