Black fishermen, traders, captains, and crews have a lengthy record in transatlantic maritime history. From the earliest seafaring peoples of Africa to American whalers, they have harvested the fruits of both coastal and deep waters. They also manned ships as members of the Union Army during the Civil War and rose through the ranks of the United States Navy during World War II. This tradition continues today as black mariners aspire to the pinnacle of sport sailing, the conquest of The America’s Cup.