Born: 1645 (Massachusetts Bay Colony)
Died: 1705
Biography:
Zipporah Potter Atkins (July 4, 1645 – January 8, 1705) was a free African American woman who owned land in colonial Boston, during a time when few women or African Americans owned land in the American Colonies. The purchase of her home, dated 1670, makes her the first African American to own land in the city of Boston, and with Anthony Johnson one of the earliest African-American landowners in what would become the United States.
Zipporah Potter was born to Richard and Grace, slaves of Captain Robert Keayne, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid-1600s. Children born to slaves in Boston at that time were considered free upon birth, explaining Zipporah’s status as a free African American in Colonial Boston. Upon marriage, Zipporah took the surname of Atkins, making it her sixth surname in total. It is reported that her marriage was officiated by the prominent Puritan minister Cotton Mather.
According to historical records, Zipporah Potter Atkins was able to purchase her property through an inheritance she received from her father. Her property was situated on the edge of Boston’s North End, near a mill pond which flowed into Boston Harbor. She owned her property while a single woman, managing to maintain control of her land through the course of her marriage. Between the years 1670 and 1699, Atkins was the first recorded African American to own land in Boston. Remarkably, she also learned to read well enough to at least sign her initials, at a time when many people could not read. When she signed the deed to sell her home in 1699, she became the first African American woman to initial a deed in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Zipporah Potter Atkins’ remarkable achievements and ownership of land challenged the social norms of her time. Her resilience as an African American woman owning and maintaining property in an era of limited rights and opportunities is a testament to her strength and determination. Zipporah’s life serves as a powerful example of the African American struggle for freedom and agency in colonial America.
Legacy:
Dr. Vivian Johnson, a retired professor of education at Boston University, discovered documentation of Zipporah’s property records around 2009. The discovery of Zipporah Potter Atkins’ ownership of land was a significant finding in Boston’s history, shedding light on the often-overlooked contributions and achievements of African Americans in the colonial era.
Following years of research by Dr. Johnson, then-Governor Deval Patrick unveiled a memorial to Zipporah Potter Atkins on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. This memorial serves as a reminder of Zipporah’s pioneering role as a landowner and her significant place in Boston’s history. Dr. Johnson has also shared the story of Zipporah Potter Atkins through a talk titled Free, Black and Female: The Zipporah Potter Atkins Story of Homeownership in Colonial Boston at the Museum of African American History in Boston in May 2014.
Zipporah Potter Atkins’ legacy continues to inspire and educate individuals about the resilience and accomplishments of African Americans in the face of adversity. Her story serves as an important chapter in the history of women’s rights and African American empowerment, highlighting the determination and tenacity of those who sought to challenge social norms and break barriers.