Honoring the Black patriots of the Revolution
We are proud to announce that Marblehead has partnered with Maurice Barboza and the National Liberty Memorial, a planned national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring the African American soldiers, sailors and patriots who served in the American Revolution.
About the National Liberty Memorial
The National Liberty Memorial will honor enslaved and free Black Americans who served as soldiers, sailors and civilians in the fight for independence. Maurice Barboza has worked for decades to make the memorial a reality, beginning with the congressional resolution honoring Black Revolutionary War patriots that President Reagan signed in 1984 (Wikipedia: National Liberty Memorial).
Key milestones include:
• 1984: Public Law 98-245 honored Black Revolutionary War patriots.
• 2013: Congress authorized the National Liberty Memorial in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.
• 2014: President Obama signed legislation approving a site on the National Mall.
• 2023: Congress renewed the memorial's authorization.
According to National Mall Liberty Fund D.C., the memorial is moving through the federal approval process, with a favored site on the Mall at 14th Street that offers an unobstructed view of the Washington Monument.
Why this partnership fits Marblehead
Marblehead tells the story of John Glover's Marblehead Regiment, one of the few integrated units in the Continental Army, where Black, white and Native men served side by side (Washington Crossing Historic Park). These were the men who rowed George Washington's army across the Delaware on Christmas night, 1776.
One of them was Caesar Glover, who was kidnapped from Africa as a child, enlisted in 1775 while still enslaved, and rowed in the Delaware crossing before gaining his freedom (National Park Service). His story, and the stories of thousands like him, are exactly what the National Liberty Memorial seeks to honor. Barboza's research suggests that nearly a third of known Black Revolutionary soldiers came from Massachusetts (The Clapham Group).
Our graphic novel and the memorial share a goal: making sure the next generation of Americans knows the full story of the people who fought for the nation's freedom, including those who were not yet free themselves.
How you can get involved
• Learn more about the memorial at libertyfunddc.com.
• Read our posts on the Marbleheaders and Caesar Glover.
• Bring Marblehead to your classroom or library to introduce students to the Black patriots of the Revolution.
• Pre-order Marblehead today.
Sources
• National Mall Liberty Fund D.C., "National Liberty Memorial"
• Wikipedia, "National Liberty Memorial"
• National Park Service, "Caesar Glover: A Legacy of Service and Resilience"
• Mark Rodgers, "Two Caesars," The Clapham Group
