In honor of Black History Month, today we highlight the Jack Peterson Memorial at Croton Point Park.

The Jack Peterson Memorial acknowledges a militiaman of African descent who, in 1780, fired on a boat full of British soldiers attempting to come ashore. Peterson alerted officers at Fort Lafayette, who mobilized forces. A cannon greatly damaged the British ship, which was then unable to retrieve one of its commanders who had snuck ashore. The capture of this Major Andre led to the uncovering of the Benedict Arnold plot.