The American War of Decolonization
As the first nation to win a brutal revolutionary war of independence
against the mighty British Empire, the United States of America emerged as a
symbol of resistance to colonization around the world.
Crispus Attucks - First Martyr of the American War of Decolonization Against the British Empire
Crispus Attucks, born to a Native American mother and an enslaved African father, is a pivotal figure in American history. He is known for his contributions to the Black community and his accomplishments on behalf of all oppressed and marginalized people everywhere.
Recognized as the first Patriot killed during the 1770 Boston Massacre,
a significant event in the lead-up to the American Revolution, Crispus Attucks reminds
the world that African American heritage is not solely African but also
American, with roots that trace back to the founding of America.
Although not much is known about the first martyr of the American
Revolution, most historians agree that he was a runaway slave from Framingham,
Massachusetts, who later worked in the maritime industries of New England,
laboring on ships and whaling vessels for many years.
As tension between Great Britain and her American colonies erupted in
1765 with Parliament’s passing of the Stamp Act, Great Britain felt compelled
to send British troops to occupy Boston, the epicenter of colonial resistance.
On March 5, 1770, Attucks was among colonists who clashed with British
soldiers. A solitary guardian of the Custom House was attacked by a loud mob
that threw stones, snowballs, chunks of ice, and wood at the sentinel. Fearing
for his life, he called for assistance from the nearby garrison to reinforce
his position.
Captain Thomas Preston and seven soldiers joined the sentry at the
Custom House. The crowd continued to grow larger. As the crowd hurled chunks of
ice and clubs at the soldiers, one object struck its target and knocked a
British soldier to the ground. He got back up, yelled, and fired his musket
into the crowd.
Immediately, all the other British soldiers opened fire in a ragged
volley. Five men fell dead, the first among them being Crispus Attucks, with
two musket balls in his chest. A large funeral was held in Boston, and the five
victims of the “Boston Massacre” were buried together in a common grave in
Boston’s Old Granary Burying Ground.
A hero who fought for
freedom and liberty, regardless of race, Attucks’ death became a rallying point
for the colonists and a symbol of resistance against British colonial rule during
the Revolutionary War.
During the 19th
century, Crispus Attucks emerged as a symbol of the abolitionist movement, with
his story and image used to highlight his patriotic qualities.
His background added
another layer to his story in the 20th century, highlighting his struggle for
freedom and his role as a symbol of resistance against colonization worldwide.
Crispus Attucks is one of the most significant figures in American history, not only for what he did for people of color but also for what he accomplished for all colonized people worldwide.
Illustrated Portrait of Crispus Attucks
Remembering Patriots of the American War of Independence Whose Deaths were Never Adequately Recognized or Afforded a Proper Burial
To meaningfully restore the dignity of these patriots, soil that we believe still holds their sweat, tears, and blood will be collected from decolonization battlefields across the US, and transferred to the World Colonization Memorial, where a giant candle will burn in their honor.
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), often referred to as the Revolutionary War or the American War of Independence, represented the armed struggle marking the final eight years of the larger American Revolution. During this period, the Continental Army, led by George Washington and composed of American Patriot forces, successfully defeated the British Army. The war was waged across North America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Throughout much of the war, its outcome appeared ambiguous. Nevertheless, the Continental Army’s pivotal triumph at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 compelled King George III and Great Britain to discuss a conclusion to the conflict. This culminated in the Treaty of Paris in 1783, where the British crown recognized the Thirteen Colonies’ independence, thus founding the United States as a separate and sovereign nation.
In 1763, after the British Empire solidified its control over North America by defeating the French in the Seven Years’ War, tensions between the British and the Thirteen Colonies escalated, particularly after the introduction of the Stamp and Townshend Acts. In response, the British Army attempted to occupy Boston, which ultimately led to the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770.
In the middle of 1774, as tensions heightened between the British Army and the colonies, the British Parliament enacted the Intolerable Acts. This was an attempt to disarm Americans and ultimately led to the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, marking the start of the Revolutionary War. By June 1775, the Second Continental Congress decided to integrate the colonial-based Patriot militias into a central force known as the Continental Army. It unanimously named Washington its commander-in-chief.
Two months later, in August 1775, the British Parliament declared the colonies in rebellion. Then, in July 1776, the Second Continental Congress officially declared war by passing the Lee Resolution on July 2, and two days later, on July 4, it unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence.
During the summer of 1777, while Howe was about to take Philadelphia, the Continental Congress retreated to Baltimore. In October that year, a separate British force in the north, led by John Burgoyne, was compelled to surrender at Saratoga. This American triumph was pivotal in persuading France and Spain that an independent United States was plausible. Consequently, France established a commercial agreement with the rebels, and in February 1778, they signed a Treaty of Alliance.
In 1779, the Sullivan Expedition undertook a scorched earth campaign against the Iroquois, primarily allied with the British. Nonetheless, Indian raids on the American frontier persisted as an issue. Moreover, that same year, Spain established an alliance with France against Great Britain through the Treaty of Aranjuez, though Spain did not formally join forces with the Americans.
Henry Clinton, who replaced Howe, aimed to shift the war focus to the Southern Colonies. Although he enjoyed some early victories, British General Cornwallis was surrounded by a Franco-American force at Yorktown in September and October 1781, ultimately leading to his surrender in October.
The conflicts between Britain, France, and Spain extended for another two years, yet hostilities mostly halted in North America. By the Treaty of Paris, ratified on September 3, 1783, Great Britain recognized the United States’ sovereignty and independence, effectively concluding the American Revolutionary War.
The Treaties of Versailles addressed conflicts between Great Britain, France, and Spain, requiring Great Britain to relinquish Tobago, Senegal, and minor territories in India to France and Menorca, West Florida, and East Florida to Spain.
Wallace, Willard M. Ray, Michael (September 21, 2015). American Revolution. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
WORLD COLONIZATION MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Mission
World Colonization Memorial Museum’s mission is to restore and make visible suppressed, destroyed, or underrepresented histories of colonization worldwide. It will provide a comprehensive compilation of world history, focusing on the legacy of colonization.
A reflection space honoring those who have worked to challenge colonization around the globe
World Colonization Memorial Museum (WCMM) will provide an in-depth examination of colonization, covering topics such as the Age of Discovery and Exploration, the conquest and subjugation of Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia, and the brutal Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact. The museum will also address the various genocidal wars that occurred during the decolonization process. Through films, images, and first-person narratives, visitors will experience detailed and compelling interactive content.
WCMM will provide an immersive experience, featuring cutting-edge technology, world-class art, and crucial scholarship to explore the dark aspects of world history.
Alongside the world’s first and only international memorial dedicated to the victims of colonization, the museum presents a unique opportunity for visitors to confront challenging aspects of our past.
Colonization in the Americas, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe will feature five interconnected wings in the Museum, showcasing hundreds of sculptures and original animated short films narrated by award-winning artists worldwide.
A dedicated wing of the museum will examine the economics of colonization, the role of the League of Nations, and later the United Nations Trusteeship Council, in the violent enslavement of Indigenous peoples in Trust Territories. It will address issues such as sexual violence against women and children in the colonies, the commodification of people, and the desperate efforts made by colonized individuals to achieve independence.
An extensive exhibit on the brutal assassinations of prominent pro-independence leaders worldwide will document a detailed timeline, short films, and first-person narrative accounts.
The museum’s extensive content on various wars of independence will be located in a wing that explores the role of media during the era of racial terror resulting from colonization.
The final words of war victims will highlight the suffering caused by colonization, affecting entire communities. Details about the starvation of children will help visitors grasp the extent of terror and violence endured by many families.
Visitors will hear firsthand accounts from the descendants of murdered pro-independence leaders and those who lost family members during some of the most devastating wars for independence. They will also learn about the courageous efforts to challenge colonization led by legendary decolonization activists. This includes figures such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, an Indian lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist known for his nonviolent resistance in the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule, ,,, and Kwame Nkrumah, the father of modern Pan-Africanism (not exclusively).
WCMM will emphasize courageous decolonization movements that challenged colonization and forced colonial powers to respond. This includes the Wars of Scottish Independence, the American Revolutionary War, the Haitian Revolution, the Latin American Wars of Independence, the European Revolutionary Wars of Independence, the Middle East and Asia Revolutionary Wars, and the numerous wars of independence across Africa.
The portrayal of colonization as a widespread manifestation of racism will be compellingly illustrated through a collection of actual signs, artifacts, memorabilia, and notices from across the globe for visitors to see, read, and experience.
Visitors will learn about significant civil wars worldwide and how their origins stem from the way colonial powers established national boundaries, often forcefully merging different religious and ethnic groups.
A discussion on the disenfranchisement of Black soldiers will highlight the Forgotten Colonial Forces of the World Wars, a crucial element in how equal rights were undermined during the colonization era.
The Berlin Conference of 1884 formalized European claims to African territories and established rules for colonization. This was followed by the League of Nations Mandate, which legalized colonization under international law. The United Nations Security Council has also played a role in perpetuating a legalized caste system, which is one of the most significant legacies of colonization. The WCMM will showcase controversial timelines of colonization and outrageous international agreements that have shocked humanity’s conscience.
WCMM will have a Reflection Space that honors hundreds of people who have worked to challenge colonization.
In a grand space featuring world cultures and powerful imagery, the history of struggle will inspire everyone to reflect on how we can make a difference.
The museum will feature a world-class art gallery displaying major works by celebrated artists from around the globe. We will have a gallery that showcases works created exclusively for WCMM. The entire collection will be curated in relation to the museum’s historical narrative.
Collaborations with Western and non-Western world music, including quasi-traditional, traditional, and intercultural forms, will explore the roles and significance of arts, music, and dance in global decolonization efforts.
As a physical location and outreach program, WCMM will serve as a catalyst for education about the legacy of colonization and racial inequality, fostering truth and reconciliation that will lead to genuine solutions for contemporary issues.
Let's Unveil the Ugly Parts of Our History
Something unjust happened around the world that too few people have discussed. WCM acknowledges that, despite the impacts of colonization, the world can still become a better place. However, if we want to move forward, we must speak the truth, recognize the darker aspects of our history, and commit to reconciliation and healing.
