Jeffrey Brace, born Boyrereau Brinch, was captured and enslaved in Africa at the age of 16. He was taken to Barbados and then New England. After being the slave of numerous cruel owners, he was sold to Widow Mary Stiles of Woodbury, Connecticut who treated him humanely and taught him to read. Baptized a Christian, he read and memorized the entire Bible.

A celebrated civil rights activist and Baptist minister, who twice ran for the Democratic party's presidential nomination. He was one of Martin Luther King's close associates and was with him at the Lorraine Motel the night of Dr. King's assassination.

Since the late 1950s there has been a significant number of people who were iconic leaders of the movement to expand civil rights on Cape Cod.

Trayvon Martin was an African-American high school senior when he was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a volunteer neighborhood watchman.