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 celebrate the two-hundredth anniversary of his life.
The Island Foundation awards $300,000 to boost this project. The existing Captain Paul Cuffe Park will quadruple in size in 2017, with enhancements to the interpretive elements and programmatic use of the space.
The Cuffe Kitchen is a multi-media experience providing an opportunity to ponder the social and racial issues faced by Captain Paul Cuffe.
The papers of Paul Cuffe in the Museum’s Archives consist of rich materials spanning the period 1811-1828.
Last modified: February 3, 2017
