Francisco Menéndez (black soldier)

Francisco Menéndez (before 1709 – after 1763) was a notable free Black militiaman who served the Spanish Empire in Florida during the 18th-century. He was the leader of Fort Mose, arguably the first free Black settlement in North America. Fort Mose has since been designated as a National Historic Landmark, as it was the first legal free Black community in what is now the United States.

Francisco Menéndez (black soldier)

Francisco Menéndez (before 1709 – after 1763) was a notable free Black militiaman who served the Spanish Empire in Florida during the 18th-century. He was the leader of Fort Mose, arguably the first free Black settlement in North America. Fort Mose has since been designated as a National Historic Landmark, as it was the first legal free Black community in what is now the United States.