What do you think?
Rate this book
Paul Cuffe: Black America and the African Return
Book by Sheldon H. Harris
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
9 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 15, 2020
Paul Cuffe: Black America and the African Return by Sheldon H. Harris (1972)
By happenstance I got my hands on this rare book and it was quite a boon. This book apparently had only one edition published. The author, the late Prof. Sheldon H. Harris was “removed from this world by death” in 2002. This phrase is just one of the many historical gems I picked up from reading this book. Prof. Harris left us with a unique and informative work. If you have an interest in history in general, and if you can get your hands on this book, you will get a great deal of enjoyment from reading it.
The three sections of this book begin with a biography of Paul Cuffe, a fascinating person in history for a number of reasons. The second section is comprised of the journals Capt. Cuffe kept of his first journey from Massachusetts to Sierra Leone and then to England in 1811-12. Finally, some of Capt. Cuffe’s correspondence from the 1780s through the year of his death in 1817 is republished in this book. It is from his correspondence, as well as the footnotes provided by Prof. Harris, that many interesting details are revealed about Capt. Cuffe’s life as well as how people lived during that era. If you have ever wondered, “What was it like to live in that time?” this book sheds some light on the answer to that question.
In the biographical section we learn that Paul Cuffe’s father (Cuffe Slocum) came to the Massachusetts as an enslaved person when he was about 11 years old. After suffering many years as an enslaved person he purchased his own freedom and married, “a Gayhead Indian descended from the once powerful Wampanoag tribe.” (p. 15) Paul was the youngest of the ten children. Paul and one of his brothers inherited his father’s 120 acre farm when he died in 1772. Eventually, “The Cuffe brothers built a small boat,” for trading in Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay and the Long Island Sound (p 19). Paul Cuffe continued in the shipping business after his brother left the partnership due to piracy losses. Paul was very successful and his shipping business eventually reached all over the world.
He was also community oriented. An important part of that community spirit related to his religious affiliation as a Quaker. He paid a contribution of nearly 50% of the cost of construction of the original Quaker Meeting house in Westport, Massachusetts – a site which is still in use by the Quakers to this day (p 29). Prof. Harris writes, “That he did not make just a small or token offering is in its own way eloquent confirmation of his consistent adherence to a code of conduct that was forged in early life: personal sacrifice for the well-being of mankind returns an infinitely greater reward than the intrinsic cost of the offering” (p 29).
He also paid to have the first school built the in Westport, Massachusetts. He had initially approached his fellow citizens but they declined to contribute because he was black. “Setting aside some land on his own farm, and using his own funds, he proceeded to have a schoolhouse constructed. He then offered the people of Westport the free use of the school;” an offer they accepted “with alacrity.” (p. 31).
Other details from his life include the fact that Capt. Cuffe and a small group of free blacks in Massachusetts petitioned for redress from the Massachusetts Assembly because they were property owners, they were paying taxes but voting rights were not extended to him and his fellow petitioners because they were black. Under the laws at the time, as property owners, they should have been allowed to vote. (Feb 10, 1780) (p. 33-4&159-161)
By 1809 Capt. Cuffe was formulating plans for the return of people of Avfrican descent to Africa. He made an exploratory voyage to Sierra Leone in 1811-12 to investigate the possibility of doing so. In 1816 “Cuffe’s African rehabilitation program became a mass emigration plan.” Cuffe was convinced, “the only prospect for salvation . . . . was complete removal. . . .the plight of the black man,” became his number one concern. (p. 66).
Prof. Harris explains that, “Cuffe, despite his surface impression of simplicity, was a very complex and sensitive man. As with so many other free Negroes, from the time he became aware of race consciousness he was torn with the duality of “two-ness,” the love-hate relationship of being a black man in a white racist society.” P 66 In an interesting link to the contradictions of modern times, the author says about Capt. Cuffe’s free black contemporaries, “. . . .to those caught up in the tragedy of racism, an exodus from the U.S. seemed no more irrational than the madness of their daily existence in the land of the Declaration of Independence, where supposedly all men were created equal.” P 69 In spite of this, “supporters of colonization convinced only” a handful of people to leave for Africa p. 71 So we see that in the biographical section of this book we had insights into Capt. Cuffe’s life story, as well as getting a window into his character. His journal entries during his 1811-12 voyages give even further insights in his own words.
The journal entries of Capt. Cuffe made during his sojourn to Sierra Leone and England were also very interesting. He was predominantly a businessman and a sailor, so many of the entries have to do with his commerce and the weather encountered during his voyages. He seemed an astute businessman, but he had an interesting philosophy when it came to dealing with dishonest trading partners. He writes, “I consider the loss of a little money to be but a small thing to the loss of true peace and happiness.” (p. 134).
The entries in this journal were written a little over 208 years ago. In addition to the commercial and navigational commentaries we see glimpses into life at that time. For instance, he records the battle against diseases that some of the members of his crew endured. With our modern knowledge we can realize that some of his crew were stricken with Malaria. In one instance he recorded a crew member’s six week struggle with various illnesses and infections. I was astonished that the man survived based on what his Captain was describing.
Capt. Cuffe was consistently concerned with how he might make a successful repatriation effort. He demonstrated attention to detail. For instance, he measured the size of a water wheel needed to run a sawmill and sought possible places where it could be established in the area where he hoped to help people resettle.
In his May 14, 1816 entry, while in New York City, he wrote the following entry: “As I was travelling in the street with my guide he kindly introduced me to two Methodist preachers – who accosted me thus: “Do you understand English?” I answered them there was a part [of the language that] I did not understand, (viz) that one brother professor [of Christianity] making merchandise of and holding in bondage their brother professor [of Christianity]. This part I should be glad they would clear up [for] me. We bid each other farewell without [engaging in] any further conversation.” (p. 155). This entry helped me to understand the depth of Capt. Cuffe’s concern for enslaved people, his ability to put others on the spot for their hypocrisy and the daily racism he had to deal with in 1816 America. Things have not changed too much in that regard.
Additional insights to Capt. Cuffe’s world come through in the correspondence that has been preserved in this text. Letters he sent and received are reprinted in this book and make for fascinating reading.
One of the benefits of Capt. Cuffe’s published correspondence was the material Prof. Harris added in the footnotes. There he provides background on some prominent African Americans of the early 1800s: James Forten, wealthy black sail maker from Philadelphia; Absalom Jones, formerly enslaved free black in Philadelphia who established the first African American church in America; Richard Allen, a formerly enslaved man who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (f.n. p 243); Peter Williams, Jr., a free black man in New York City who preached a sermon at a memorial for Capt. Cuffe. These are just some of several examples of African American individuals from early American History who, like Capt. Cuffe, may never have been known to me without having read Prof. Harris’ book.
In a letter to his friend William Allen of England, Capt. Cuffe gave descriptions of the people who he had transported to settle in Sierra Leone. One was a man enslaved in Santo Domingo who became free after the Haitian revolution. He was originally from the Congo region and endeavored to return there. Another was a man originally kidnapped from Senegal who also intended to travel from Sierra Leone back to his country of birth. (p. 191-2). All tolled he repatriated 38 people. These individuals' stories make it clear that there was a longing in their hearts to return.
Other facts of interest came across in his letters. In a letter of 14 August 1816 he reported that, “237 slave vessels cleared from Havana” in 1815 (p 215-6). In another letter he described the year without a summer in a post script to a letter (19 December 1816) (p 227-8). His description led me to research this phenomenon, which occurred as a result of a number of volcanic eruptions which led to a global cooling with a ruinous impact on agriculture.
In an interesting foreshadowing of this book, in a letter to Capt. Cuffe from Samuel J. Mills written July 14, 1817, Mills says, “We may have enemies in commencing this object, but later generations will do our memories justice.” (p. 256)
One never knows what to expect, but perhaps it is safe to say that Prof. Harris’ book may never become widely read. Not because it is not worthy but because time has almost rendered it obscure. Who will take up the cause to republish it? Probably no one, since it is unlikely to be profitable (the principal gauge of a publisher’s decision). Would Prof. Harris' heirs consent to putting the book on Project Gutenberg?
Still it was a worthy read. I can connect some of what came out in this book to other reading. For instance, Prof. Sir Hilary Mc. D. Beckles writes convincingly of the fact that people at the time of the trafficking of enslaved persons knew it was wrong. Prof. Harris reiterated this point for me when he wrote, “In fact, most people in Europe and in the Americas long considered the international slave trade to be an outrage against humanity.” P 40-1 (See “Britain’s Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide).
The reference to the slave trading in Havana reminded me of the story of Cudjoe Lewis as told by Zora Neale Hurston in “Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo.” Lewis was originally kidnapped from Africa and brought to America via Cuba.
A response to a recent review that I wrote brought my attention to the issue of repatriation. Since I knew this book was on my shelf I thought the time had come to read it and to begin to acquaint myself with the subject. I just want to thank B. L. for instigating this thought process.
If you can get your hands on a copy of this book, preserve it. It is a work unique among historical accounts and it provides a wealth of learning. Since many will not be able to read it due to its rarity I hope this review gives a glimpse into why it is an important work.
Reminder: Black history is American history.
By happenstance I got my hands on this rare book and it was quite a boon. This book apparently had only one edition published. The author, the late Prof. Sheldon H. Harris was “removed from this world by death” in 2002. This phrase is just one of the many historical gems I picked up from reading this book. Prof. Harris left us with a unique and informative work. If you have an interest in history in general, and if you can get your hands on this book, you will get a great deal of enjoyment from reading it.
The three sections of this book begin with a biography of Paul Cuffe, a fascinating person in history for a number of reasons. The second section is comprised of the journals Capt. Cuffe kept of his first journey from Massachusetts to Sierra Leone and then to England in 1811-12. Finally, some of Capt. Cuffe’s correspondence from the 1780s through the year of his death in 1817 is republished in this book. It is from his correspondence, as well as the footnotes provided by Prof. Harris, that many interesting details are revealed about Capt. Cuffe’s life as well as how people lived during that era. If you have ever wondered, “What was it like to live in that time?” this book sheds some light on the answer to that question.
In the biographical section we learn that Paul Cuffe’s father (Cuffe Slocum) came to the Massachusetts as an enslaved person when he was about 11 years old. After suffering many years as an enslaved person he purchased his own freedom and married, “a Gayhead Indian descended from the once powerful Wampanoag tribe.” (p. 15) Paul was the youngest of the ten children. Paul and one of his brothers inherited his father’s 120 acre farm when he died in 1772. Eventually, “The Cuffe brothers built a small boat,” for trading in Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay and the Long Island Sound (p 19). Paul Cuffe continued in the shipping business after his brother left the partnership due to piracy losses. Paul was very successful and his shipping business eventually reached all over the world.
He was also community oriented. An important part of that community spirit related to his religious affiliation as a Quaker. He paid a contribution of nearly 50% of the cost of construction of the original Quaker Meeting house in Westport, Massachusetts – a site which is still in use by the Quakers to this day (p 29). Prof. Harris writes, “That he did not make just a small or token offering is in its own way eloquent confirmation of his consistent adherence to a code of conduct that was forged in early life: personal sacrifice for the well-being of mankind returns an infinitely greater reward than the intrinsic cost of the offering” (p 29).
He also paid to have the first school built the in Westport, Massachusetts. He had initially approached his fellow citizens but they declined to contribute because he was black. “Setting aside some land on his own farm, and using his own funds, he proceeded to have a schoolhouse constructed. He then offered the people of Westport the free use of the school;” an offer they accepted “with alacrity.” (p. 31).
Other details from his life include the fact that Capt. Cuffe and a small group of free blacks in Massachusetts petitioned for redress from the Massachusetts Assembly because they were property owners, they were paying taxes but voting rights were not extended to him and his fellow petitioners because they were black. Under the laws at the time, as property owners, they should have been allowed to vote. (Feb 10, 1780) (p. 33-4&159-161)
By 1809 Capt. Cuffe was formulating plans for the return of people of Avfrican descent to Africa. He made an exploratory voyage to Sierra Leone in 1811-12 to investigate the possibility of doing so. In 1816 “Cuffe’s African rehabilitation program became a mass emigration plan.” Cuffe was convinced, “the only prospect for salvation . . . . was complete removal. . . .the plight of the black man,” became his number one concern. (p. 66).
Prof. Harris explains that, “Cuffe, despite his surface impression of simplicity, was a very complex and sensitive man. As with so many other free Negroes, from the time he became aware of race consciousness he was torn with the duality of “two-ness,” the love-hate relationship of being a black man in a white racist society.” P 66 In an interesting link to the contradictions of modern times, the author says about Capt. Cuffe’s free black contemporaries, “. . . .to those caught up in the tragedy of racism, an exodus from the U.S. seemed no more irrational than the madness of their daily existence in the land of the Declaration of Independence, where supposedly all men were created equal.” P 69 In spite of this, “supporters of colonization convinced only” a handful of people to leave for Africa p. 71 So we see that in the biographical section of this book we had insights into Capt. Cuffe’s life story, as well as getting a window into his character. His journal entries during his 1811-12 voyages give even further insights in his own words.
The journal entries of Capt. Cuffe made during his sojourn to Sierra Leone and England were also very interesting. He was predominantly a businessman and a sailor, so many of the entries have to do with his commerce and the weather encountered during his voyages. He seemed an astute businessman, but he had an interesting philosophy when it came to dealing with dishonest trading partners. He writes, “I consider the loss of a little money to be but a small thing to the loss of true peace and happiness.” (p. 134).
The entries in this journal were written a little over 208 years ago. In addition to the commercial and navigational commentaries we see glimpses into life at that time. For instance, he records the battle against diseases that some of the members of his crew endured. With our modern knowledge we can realize that some of his crew were stricken with Malaria. In one instance he recorded a crew member’s six week struggle with various illnesses and infections. I was astonished that the man survived based on what his Captain was describing.
Capt. Cuffe was consistently concerned with how he might make a successful repatriation effort. He demonstrated attention to detail. For instance, he measured the size of a water wheel needed to run a sawmill and sought possible places where it could be established in the area where he hoped to help people resettle.
In his May 14, 1816 entry, while in New York City, he wrote the following entry: “As I was travelling in the street with my guide he kindly introduced me to two Methodist preachers – who accosted me thus: “Do you understand English?” I answered them there was a part [of the language that] I did not understand, (viz) that one brother professor [of Christianity] making merchandise of and holding in bondage their brother professor [of Christianity]. This part I should be glad they would clear up [for] me. We bid each other farewell without [engaging in] any further conversation.” (p. 155). This entry helped me to understand the depth of Capt. Cuffe’s concern for enslaved people, his ability to put others on the spot for their hypocrisy and the daily racism he had to deal with in 1816 America. Things have not changed too much in that regard.
Additional insights to Capt. Cuffe’s world come through in the correspondence that has been preserved in this text. Letters he sent and received are reprinted in this book and make for fascinating reading.
One of the benefits of Capt. Cuffe’s published correspondence was the material Prof. Harris added in the footnotes. There he provides background on some prominent African Americans of the early 1800s: James Forten, wealthy black sail maker from Philadelphia; Absalom Jones, formerly enslaved free black in Philadelphia who established the first African American church in America; Richard Allen, a formerly enslaved man who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (f.n. p 243); Peter Williams, Jr., a free black man in New York City who preached a sermon at a memorial for Capt. Cuffe. These are just some of several examples of African American individuals from early American History who, like Capt. Cuffe, may never have been known to me without having read Prof. Harris’ book.
In a letter to his friend William Allen of England, Capt. Cuffe gave descriptions of the people who he had transported to settle in Sierra Leone. One was a man enslaved in Santo Domingo who became free after the Haitian revolution. He was originally from the Congo region and endeavored to return there. Another was a man originally kidnapped from Senegal who also intended to travel from Sierra Leone back to his country of birth. (p. 191-2). All tolled he repatriated 38 people. These individuals' stories make it clear that there was a longing in their hearts to return.
Other facts of interest came across in his letters. In a letter of 14 August 1816 he reported that, “237 slave vessels cleared from Havana” in 1815 (p 215-6). In another letter he described the year without a summer in a post script to a letter (19 December 1816) (p 227-8). His description led me to research this phenomenon, which occurred as a result of a number of volcanic eruptions which led to a global cooling with a ruinous impact on agriculture.
In an interesting foreshadowing of this book, in a letter to Capt. Cuffe from Samuel J. Mills written July 14, 1817, Mills says, “We may have enemies in commencing this object, but later generations will do our memories justice.” (p. 256)
One never knows what to expect, but perhaps it is safe to say that Prof. Harris’ book may never become widely read. Not because it is not worthy but because time has almost rendered it obscure. Who will take up the cause to republish it? Probably no one, since it is unlikely to be profitable (the principal gauge of a publisher’s decision). Would Prof. Harris' heirs consent to putting the book on Project Gutenberg?
Still it was a worthy read. I can connect some of what came out in this book to other reading. For instance, Prof. Sir Hilary Mc. D. Beckles writes convincingly of the fact that people at the time of the trafficking of enslaved persons knew it was wrong. Prof. Harris reiterated this point for me when he wrote, “In fact, most people in Europe and in the Americas long considered the international slave trade to be an outrage against humanity.” P 40-1 (See “Britain’s Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide).
The reference to the slave trading in Havana reminded me of the story of Cudjoe Lewis as told by Zora Neale Hurston in “Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo.” Lewis was originally kidnapped from Africa and brought to America via Cuba.
A response to a recent review that I wrote brought my attention to the issue of repatriation. Since I knew this book was on my shelf I thought the time had come to read it and to begin to acquaint myself with the subject. I just want to thank B. L. for instigating this thought process.
If you can get your hands on a copy of this book, preserve it. It is a work unique among historical accounts and it provides a wealth of learning. Since many will not be able to read it due to its rarity I hope this review gives a glimpse into why it is an important work.
Reminder: Black history is American history.
Displaying 1 of 1 review