Black Quaker Sea Captain and Activist

Paul Cuffe (1759-1817) worked as an entrepreneur, sea captain, and social activist. Specifically, he fought for the rights and empowerment of African Americans. As a result, he became one of the earliest well-documented Black Quakers in American history.

Early Life and Family

Paul Cuffe grew up in Cuttyhunk, Massachusetts. He was one of ten children in his family. His father, Kofi, came from the Akan tribe in Ghana. Enslavers had brought Kofi to America, but he later gained his freedom. Paul’s mother, Ruth Moses, belonged to the Wampanoag tribe of Martha’s Vineyard.

In the 1720s, a Friend (Quaker) named Ebenezer Slocum purchased Kofi. Then, twenty-two years later, John Slocum purchased Kofi from his uncle. Shortly after, John Slocum freed him in 1745. Although Paul Cuffe’s parents learned about Friends’ beliefs, they never officially joined a Quaker meeting (a local Quaker worship community).

Building a Shipping Business

Paul Cuffe taught himself math, navigation, and other skills needed for life at sea. Because of this hard work, he built his wealth through whaling and trade in the Americas and Europe. His shipping career began at age sixteen when he joined a whaling ship.

During the Revolutionary War, Cuffe started building his business. Over time, he owned shares in up to ten ships. Meanwhile, he built a boat with his brother David. Together, they smuggled goods through British blockades. Eventually, in 1793, Cuffe married Alice Pequit. They then had six children: Paul, William, Mary, Ruth, Alice, and Rhoda.

Facing Danger as a Black Sea Captain

During this time in American history, the shipping business posed many dangers. For instance, pirates threatened ships constantly. However, buying and delivering goods along the Atlantic coast proved especially risky for Cuffe and his crew. This was because they were all African American.

In 1793, Congress passed a fugitive slave law. This law gave enslavers the right to capture anyone they claimed had escaped. Furthermore, the law denied enslaved people the right to a trial or hearing. They could not speak for themselves. Consequently, this law put Cuffe and his crew in constant danger of kidnapping and sale into slavery.

Fighting for Education and Equal Rights

Paul Cuffe believed education offered a path to freedom. Therefore, he fought for equal rights in many ways. For example, he eagerly taught young men who wanted to learn navigation and merchant skills.

In 1799, he built a school on his own land in Westport, Massachusetts. Notably, this school welcomed all children regardless of race. Then, in 1800, he bought a gristmill in Acoaxet. He thought far ahead of his time when he urged mills to include African Americans in planning organizations meant to help Black people.

Additionally, Cuffe encouraged African Americans along the East Coast to think about their social and economic status. Moreover, in 1780, he and other African Americans protested a tax on his father’s estate. At that time, only white men could vote. Because of this injustice, Cuffe argued that taxing Black people without giving them the right to vote was wrong.

Becoming a Quaker

Despite his long connection to Friends, Paul Cuffe did not join Westport Monthly Meeting until 1808. At that point, he was forty-nine years old. He dressed in the plain style of Friends, wearing Quaker gray and a wide-brimmed black hat.

In September 1810, Cuffe shared a leading (a spiritual calling) with his meeting. Specifically, he felt called to start a trading community in Sierra Leone. This community would trade goods instead of people. In response, the meeting formed a committee to advise him on this plan.

During the October business meeting, members read and approved a letter of recommendation for Cuffe. In addition, he received a traveling minute from New England Yearly Meeting. A traveling minute is a letter that introduces a Friend to other Quaker meetings. Importantly, this was the first of three minutes Cuffe would receive for his work in Sierra Leone.

A Respected Member of the Quaker Community

Over time, Cuffe became an important and well-respected member of the Religious Society of Friends. For instance, in January 1813, Westport’s business meeting appointed Cuffe as one of six members to rebuild the old meetinghouse. Later, in 1815, the Meeting for Sufferings asked him to help make decisions about the Meeting House in Boston.

Ultimately, Paul Cuffe’s life shows how one person can make a difference through faith, hard work, and courage. His story continues to inspire Friends of Color and all who seek justice today. To learn more, explore other African American Quakers who shaped history.

More Resouces on Paul Cuffe

For those who want to learn more about Paul Cuffe, these resources offer deeper information:

• “Black Quaker Paul Cuffe: Early Pan-Africanist” by Rosalind Cobb Wiggins
• Captain Paul Cuffe’s Logs and Letters, 1808-1817: A Black Quaker’s Voice from within the Veil by Rosalind Cobb Wiggins; Howard University Press, 1996
• Memoir of Captain Paul Cuffe
• PaulCuffe.org Westport Historical Society

About the Author

Vanessa Julye, retired Associate Secretary for Organizational Cultural Transformation, is the co-author of Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship: Quakers, African Americans, and the Myth of Racial Justice.

Updated by FGC Ministry on Racism Staff on December 09, 2025

Get Involved

FGC’s Ministry on Racism program continues to honor the legacy of Black Quakers like Paul Cuffe. Please email alician@fgcquaker.org or shainar@fgcquaker.org to learn more or to get involved.