B H This Day in Black History

May 24

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May 24, 1854

Fugitive Slave Anthony Burns Arrested in Boston

On May 24, 1854, Anthony Burns, an enslaved man who had escaped to Boston, was arrested under the Fugitive Slave Act. His trial drew thousands of protesters. Federal troops were needed to march him to the ship returning him to slavery, an event that radicalized many Northerners against slavery.

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People: Anthony Burns
Sources
1. Anthony Burns: The Fugitive Slave Act and the Boston Uprising - Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
May 24, 1993

Eritrea Gains Independence

On May 24, 1993, Eritrea declared its independence following a referendum in which 99.8% of voters chose independence. The 30-year struggle for independence was one of the longest conflicts in African history.

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Sources
1. Eritrea's Independence - Library of Congress

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