Cato in the Revolution: Spies, Slavery, Church, and Chocolate

Join historian and author Claire Bellerjeau for a compelling presentation on her latest research into Cato, an enslaved Black man whose courage and intelligence played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. Long treated as a shadowy figure in Patriot lore, Cato emerges through Claire’s discoveries as a fully realized individual—deeply involved in the espionage work of Hercules Mulligan, central to an attempted assassination plot against George Washington, and connected to the powerful Schuyler family, where he was enslaved.

Claire will explore Cato’s life in New York City, including his ties to St. Paul’s Chapel, his faith community, and the surprising intersection of colonial chocolate making and slavery. His story highlights the bravery, agency, and skill of the many “invisible” people of color whose contributions shaped the Revolution and the nation that followed.