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February 22, 2025/ BPALiveWire/ William “Billy” Flora’s heroism at the Battle of Great Bridge is a testament to the courage and resilience that built America. Born to a free Black woman in Virginia, Flora inherited his freedom in a time when most Black Americans remained in bondage. Yet, despite the contradictions of the era, he stood for the revolutionary ideals of liberty and self-governance, embodying the American spirit of bravery and sacrifice.
On December 9, 1775, as British forces and the Ethiopian Regiment—comprised of escaped slaves promised freedom by the Crown—advanced, Flora held his ground. As the last sentry on the bridge, he fired multiple times before dramatically pulling up a bridge plank to slow the enemy, escaping under fire. His actions helped secure a crucial American victory, ending British rule in Virginia for six years and proving that the colonies could stand against the empire.
The Revolutionary War placed Black men on both sides of history—5,000 fought with the patriots (America), while more than 20,000 joined the loyalists (The Crown), believing the British promises of freedom. Both sides demonstrated courage, but only one would build a nation founded on the radical idea that “all men are created equal.” America has not always lived up to that promise, but it remains the only country in history built on such noble principles.
Every generation has worked to bring the nation closer to its founding ideals. As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we honor men like Flora, and the escaped slave whose bravery on both sides of the battle remind us that the American experiment, though imperfect, is the greatest achievement of democracy the world has ever known.
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