Claiming Freedom in the Revolutionary Era

"Brave Men as Ever Fought" by Don Troiani

Beginning in 2022, the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom began a multi-year project to coincide with the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. This project highlights the untold stories of enslaved people seeking freedom during the Revolutionary Era. Research has been conducted by a team of interns guided by Network to Freedom staff and historians, as well as scholars engaged in the field of study, and we have also coordinated with other national park sites, including Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia and their internship team.

The project will explore various topics, including the military service of freedom seekers during the Revolutionary Era, self-emancipation during the chaos it brought, and identifying the patterns and methods in freedom seeking. In addition, researchers will create biographical sketches of individuals, a database of those who sought and found freedom, and related primary documents. On this site, learn more about the story of freedom seekers during the Revolutionary Era, the project team, our partners, educator resources, and more.


Claiming Freedom in the Revolutionary Era is a partnership of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, the National Park Service, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Park Foundation, and the Greening Youth Foundation. The project seeks to explore the meaning of freedom during the Revolutionary Era by researching the lived experience of enslaved individuals associated with national park sites. As the nation prepares to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the research on freedom seekers in the Revolutionary Era will highlight the stories associated with African American freedom and civil rights, and it is these stories we will tell here.