Paul Cuffe Story

Paul Cuffe by Arthur Diamond is a biography on Paul Cuffe's life. Paul Cuffe was a wealthy African-American that strived for equal rights for black people. He built the first nonsegregated schoolhouse in 1797 mainly for his own children and close friends of the family. Paul Cuffe's dad was a slave brought straight from Africa and his mother was a Native American. Both of his parents worked hard for their money but never had the ability to voice their opinion, via vote. Before Paul was born his dad became a free slave, so Paul was free as well. Paul learned to read and write by himself, therefore Paul had the ability to make money. Paul became invested in a merchant ship and soon became very wealthy. With his wealth and influence Paul fought for the African-American right to vote. After a while of fighting for the right to vote Paul decided he should just move back to Africa where he had equal rights. Once back to Africa he wasn't welcomed well and never achieved a happy life.

Since Paul was an free African American he believed he deserved the right to vote like any other "free" person. Paul's main complaint was that people taxed him for owning land but he couldn't pay taxes as observed on page 28, "We being of African extraction are not allowed the privilege of freemen of the state, having no vote or influence in the election that chose to tax us"(Diamond 28). Paul Cuffe deserved the right to vote because of his wealth and prestige that he had built up, but, nonetheless wasn't allowed because of his race. Race is just a color or a physical feature not what a person's character is about. After reading Paul Cuffe I am enraged that one race thinks it can rule another. It just doesn't have anything to back it up. A person's character should be the only thing looked at when evaluated for the right to vote.

Diamond, Arthur. Paul Cuffe. New York: Chealse House publishers, Print.