Paul Cuffe (1759–1817)
Paul Cuffe was a pioneering African American and Wampanoag mariner, merchant, and philanthropist whose life embodied both resilience and vision. Born on Cuttyhunk Island, the son of a freed African man and a Wampanoag woman, Cuffe rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful Black shipowners and businessmen in early America.
By the late 18th century, he had built a fleet of ships that engaged in whaling, fishing, and global trade, establishing strong commercial ties from the West Indies to Europe. Cuffe was also a passionate advocate for education and equality, funding schools for Black children and using his influence to promote civil rights for African Americans and Native peoples in New England.
In the early 1800s, Cuffe became an early leader in the colonization movement, working to establish connections between African Americans in the United States and communities in Sierra Leone. His vision for opportunity, education, and self-determination left a lasting legacy, both locally and internationally.
Though he passed before the founding of the New Bedford Port Society, Paul Cuffe’s life and work embodied the values of maritime enterprise, community, and justice that continue to inspire the mission of the Seamen’s Bethel and Mariners’ Home.