African Origins

Fort Mose was a multicultural community whose residents came originally from West and Central Africa, along with some Native Americans. Some residents, including Francisco Menéndez, fought in the 1715 Yamasee War against the English of Carolina, later fled south to St. Augustine with their Indian allies, and some brought Yamasee wives. In St. Augustine, the people of Mose interacted with and sometimes intermarried with members of the Timucua, Ybaja, Chiluque, Costas, Chaschis, and Chickasaw cultural groups. In 1759, militiamen at Fort Mose identified themselves as belonging to four distinct African ethnic groups: Mandinga, Carabali, Congo, and Mina. Most spoke several languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Native American languages, and African languages. Some had lived in African cities, and many were skilled artisans, linguists, and farmers. Mose residents had varied cultural and religious backgrounds, including Muslims, Catholics, and practitioners of local African religions. Francisco Menéndez, Mose’s leader, was a literate Mandinga, and many Mandingas were Muslims noted for resisting enslavement in Africa and the Americas.

St. Augustine, Florida · United States