Boston’s first black police officer honored by the city for breaking barriers in 1878 | theGrio: Sergeant Horatio J. Homer broke barriers by becoming the first African-American police officer in Boston’s history in 1878, but over the decades his legacy was largely forgotten. While serving on the force for more than 40 years, Homer made efforts that led to five additional black men becoming officers. He died in 1923 at the age of 75 after living what the Boston Globe has described as a life filled with varied activities including music, politics, and a fondness for poetry.
Yet this pioneering Renaissance man was laid to rest in a grave that remained unmarked until 2010, when a Boston police archivist and current department officer uncovered a record referring to “the first colored officer.” This finding kindled a new interest in Homer’s life.
