[citation needed] He bought his freedom on July 10, 1769, from John Poor Jr. for £27, a year's salary for an average working man at the time.

[11] Poor is remembered for his actions during the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, where he was credited with mortally wounding British Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie,[2][4] as he jumped onto the redoubt and yelled, "Surrender, you rebels.

Fellow officers who visited and spoke with him noted that the fatal shot that ultimately killed him came from friendly fire behind his position.

[10][8] John Trumbull would create his famous series of paintings, The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker's Hill, June 17, 1775, depicting the death of American rebel General Joseph Warren and British Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie.

[6] Poor's valor and gallantry at the Battle of Bunker Hill prompted 14 officers, including Colonel William Prescott and Colonel Jonathan Brewer, [14] to cite him for heroism and petition the General Court of Massachusetts with the following statement: The Reward due to so great and Distinguished a Character.

to Set forth Particulars of his Conduct would be Tedious, We Would Only beg leave to say in the Person of this Negro Centers a Brave & gallant Soldier.

On hearing of this, Lord Dunmore, who at the time was Governor of Virginia, offered freedom to all enslaved people willing to serve with the British.

Washington, sensing the disaster that would almost surely result, immediately changed his position, at once ordering all recruiters to enlist any black men who wanted to fight.

Poor immediately re-enlisted in the militia and fought with the Patriot forces until March 20, 1780, when he was discharged in Providence, Rhode Island.

[citation needed] The petition sent by Col. Prescott and the other 13 officers suggested the Continental Congress offer Poor "The Reward due to so great and Distinguish a Character."

Daniel Webster gave two speeches at the 1843 ceremony, later known as the Bunker Hill Orations, commemorating soldiers like Salem Poor who fought in the battle.

[19] In 1876, in a speech at the time of the United States' centennial celebration, George Washington Williams commemorated Poor and other African-American soldiers who fought at Bunker Hill.