CUFFE: TAXED is a new short film inspired by the remarkable true story of Paul Cuffe, a Black and Wampanoag mariner, entrepreneur, abolitionist, and visionary from the South Coast. Set during the American Revolution, the film follows 19-year-old Cuffe and his Wampanoag brother-in-law, Michael Wainer, as they run food through the British blockade to help feed the people of Nantucket — while delivering a very expensive grandfather clock for prominent Quaker merchant William Rotch Sr. Irreverent, cinematic, and full of heart, CUFFE: TAXED brings a bold new energy to a local hero whose legacy helped shape New Bedford and beyond.

The program will begin with PAUL CUFFE IS ME, a powerful, high-energy music video that pulls late-1700s Black and Wampanoag mariner Paul Cuffe out of the shadows of history. Performed by Boston-based rapper Daniel Laurent, with music by Roy Studmire and featuring dancers from Brickhouse NYC, the piece mixes hip-hop and history to celebrate Cuffe’s enduring legacy.

Following the screening of CUFFE: TAXED — approximate runtime 14 minutes — audiences are invited to stay for a conversation moderated by Lee Blake of the New Bedford Historical Society. The discussion will feature Akeia de Barros Gomes, PhD, Director of the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society; cast members Tyson Brown, who plays Paul Cuffe, and Salustiano Berrios, who plays Michael Wainer; and Writer/Producer/Director Anita Allison.

Presented in collaboration with the Shallop Voyage Planning Group, the conversation will explore the real people, choices, and historical stakes behind the film — from Cuffe’s life as a shipowner, entrepreneur, and abolitionist to the urgent question at the heart of the story: why must Black and Indigenous people continually fight for rights in a democratic country?

Immediately following this program, the filmmakers will host a second private screening and fundraising gala, Cocktails with Cuffe, in the Museum’s Harbor View Gallery. For tickets to the private screening and gala, please visit: Reserve Your Ticket – Cocktails with Cuffe Gala – New Bedford Whaling Museum.