Fort Mosé (page 38/39; courtesy of Florida Museum of Natural History Historical Archaeology Collections)

Born free in Africa, Francisco Menéndez endured the Middle Passage to North America after being enslaved by the British. In 1724, he and at least ten other runaways avoided British patrols in the Carolinas and Georgia and safely reached Florida with the assistance of the Yamasee tribe. Although on November 7, 1693, King Charles II of Spain had labeled Spanish colonies a sanctuary for runaway slaves, many colonial Spanish elites did not share the crown’s sentiment, and five years later, Governor Antonio de Benavides sold Menéndez to a Spanish colonist. On October 29, 1733, Charles II reissued his proclamation, but this time appeased the colonists by requiring that all slaves serve a term of four years in the Spanish military to earn their emancipation.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Menéndez formally petitioned the new Governor of Florida, Manuel de Montiano, who granted his freedom on March 15, 1738, under the condition that Menéndez be stationed at Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mosé ("Fort Mosé") in northeast Florida. Fort Mosé not only protected nearby St. Augustine, but also provided a settlement for recently freed slaves and their families. Governor Montiano allowed Menéndez to oversee the inhabitants and day-to-day activities of Fort Mosé, which played an important role in the colony's economy and defense. The runaways and freed slaves living there not only performed military duty, they also possessed valuable skills and vocational knowledge that served the economic interests of the more affluent Spanish colonists.

Menéndez and the other black residents of Fort Mosé actively participated in the colony's affairs and gladly defended the Spanish borderlands, bravely fighting on behalf of Spain.

When British troops attempted to reclaim slaves by force. In May 1740, Menéndez and his soldiers briefly lost Fort Mosé after Georgia Governor James Oglethorpe ordered an invasion. By June, however, “Captain” Menéndez once again commanded the fort. This battle became synonymous with both the valiant nature of the black militia and tales of atrocities that the freedmen unleashed on Oglethorpe’s men.

Francisco Menéndez’s life transcended the stereotypical role of a black man in the North American colonies. He managed not only to endure the horrors of slavery, but also to bring the battle back to the British while personifying the racial pride that slavery attempted to erase.