Captain Paul Cuffe
Shattering stereotypes, Captain Paul Cuffe (1759-1817) rose to prominence and became one of the wealthiest men of color in the nation, wrote law with the Governor of Massachusetts, and was honored by being one of the first black men to have a formal meeting with a sitting U.S. President.
Paul Cuffe’s life and letters mark an important chapter in American history. In 2017, we celebrated the two-hundredth anniversary of his life.
An exhibition devoted to the life, times, and legacy of Captain Paul Cuffe — an abolitionist, entrepreneur, merchant, whaler, navigator and much more.
The 2018 redesign of Captain Paul Cuffe Park quadruples the footprint of the existing park and is located adjacent to the site where Cuffe operated his store, Cuffe & Howards.
The papers of Paul Cuffe in the Museum’s Archives consist of rich materials spanning the period 1811-1828.
Last modified: February 3, 2017
