Crispus Attucks, a sailor of African and Native descent, is among the first killed when British soldiers fire on a Boston crowd.
At a Glance
- Date
- 5 March 1770
- Location
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Key people
- Crispus Attucks
- Category
- Military
- Source
- Boston Massacre accounts (1770) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
He became an early martyr of the American Revolutionary cause.
What It Means Now
Attucks is honored as a symbol of Black presence at the nation's founding struggles.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Crispus Attucks Killed in the Boston Massacre.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/crispus-attucks-killed-in-the-boston-massacre/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Crispus Attucks Killed in the Boston Massacre. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/crispus-attucks-killed-in-the-boston-massacre/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Crispus Attucks Killed in the Boston Massacre.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/crispus-attucks-killed-in-the-boston-massacre/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.