Colonel Tye (c. 1753 – 1780)

Colonel Tye (c. 1753 – 1780)

  • <p>This image is frequently used to represent Colonel Tye, but is infact a painting named The Death of Major Pierson, January 6, 1781 by John Singleton Copley. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.</p>

Colonel Tye was a slave of African descent who fought as a black loyalist during the American Revolutionary War.

Upon hearing Lord Dunmore’s Emancipation Proclamation on November 7, 1775 Titus self-emancipated and joined the loyalist cause. He ran successful raids throughout Staten Island and surrounding New Jersey towns before receiving a musket ball in his wrist. He contracted gangrene and died from his wound.

Read more about Colonel Tye at: https://tinyurl.com/y6nk67ga, and https://tinyurl.com/y32tl4vu.

Read an extract about Colonel Tye at: https://tinyurl.com/y3ysjq38 and subscribe to the Oxford African American Studies Center for more.