Cuffe, Paul (1759-1817), an American seaman and merchant, encouraged the colonizing of Black Americans in Sierra Leone, Africa, after sailing there in 1810. He financed the voyage of 38 free Black people in 1815. He also sought to strengthen the legal position of Black people in the United States. His efforts led to a law in 1783 that gave Black citizens in Massachusetts the right to vote.
Cuffe was born on Jan. 17, 1759, on Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts. Cuffe’s father was a formerly enslaved man from West Africa, and his mother was of Indigenous (native) Wampanoag origin. Cuffe worked as a farmer and later built a whaling and trading fleet. He also preached among his fellow Quakers. Cuffe died on Sept. 9, 1817.
