A Black Soldier's Revolutionary War Experience

Watch history come to life as Historian Kevin Johnson presents: A Black Soldier’s Revolutionary War Experience. This moving and memorable reenactment depicts the real-life experiences of Jordan Freeman, an African American man who helped defend Fort Griswold and New London during the Revolutionary War.

Historians estimate the number of Black soldiers in the Revolutionary War to have been about 5,000 men. Black soldiers served in militias, seagoing services, and support activities, including nearly 500 soldiers from Connecticut. Some enlisted because they felt it was their duty; others because they were offered their freedom in return for satisfactory completion of a set period of service.

The presentation is based on extensive research in the collections of the Connecticut State Library and the Museum of Connecticut History at 231 Capitol Ave, opposite the State Capitol in Hartford.