Who Was Venture Smith?

Broteer was the son of a West African prince. He was kidnapped by slave traders and brought to New England in 1737. The man who first purchased and enslaved him changed Broteer's name to "Venture," which means a way to make money. Venture later said that slaveholders might think of him as property and "turn me into cash," but he would never stop fighting for his rights as a human being.

In this lesson, you'll learn about the life story of Venture Smith, which was written down so that we know it today. It will help you better understand the experiences of enslaved and free Africans in the New England colonies.