The Boston Massacre, which occurred on March 5, 1770, was a pivotal event in American history that is also significant in Black history. Crispus Attucks, a Black man, is often recognized as the first casualty of the massacre. Attucks, of African and Native American descent, was one of five people killed when British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston. Attucks' death is seen as a catalyst for the American Revolution, as it galvanized colonial opposition to British rule.

Attucks' role in the Boston Massacre has been celebrated as an early example of Black resistance against oppression in the United States. He has been honored as a martyr and a symbol of the fight for freedom and equality. The Boston Massacre serves as a reminder of the contributions and sacrifices made by Black Americans in the struggle for independence and civil rights.