February is National Black History Month, and to celebrate we’re highlighting some of the contributions of Black sailors at the height of the Age of Sail. For centuries here in the United States, sailing was one of the most equitable professions for Black Americans. It was a difficult, dangerous job, but one of the few in which a Black man could hope to advance and be compensated the same as a white man. Until the 20th century, roughly one in five sailors were Black. Among them were whalers, sailmakers, entrepreneurs and war heroes.
JAMES FORTEN
James Forten’s career began early in life when he left school to join his father as a sailmaker. At just 14, he enlisted.
