In which war were black people first used in the military?

African Americans have served in the military in various capacities throughout American history, but the first significant incorporation happened during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). Both the British and American forces employed black individuals, with the British Lord Dunmore's Proclamation in 1775 offering freedom to enslaved people who joined the British ranks against the American colonists. In response, the Continental Army eventually also began to recruit free blacks and often, with less official recognition, enslaved black people who sought freedom by fighting for the American cause.

However, official recognition of black soldiers in the U.S. Army came with the formation of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment in 1778, which became known for being a majority African American unit. Despite their service, African Americans would continue to face significant segregation and discrimination in the military, with the most prominent change coming much later during the Civil War with the creation of the United States Colored Troops in 1863.