When James Forten walked the streets of 1770s Philadelphia as a young man, he was surrounded by the sights and sounds of transformation. He heard the words of the American Declaration of Independence read aloud for the first time in 1776 before setting sail to fight for independence in 1781.

Born a free person of African descent, Forten built upon his coming-of-age in a revolutionary city and his wartime experience to forge himself into a changemaker in Philadelphia and the young United States, becoming a successful businessman, philanthropist, and stalwart abolitionist.

In Philadelphia, The Museum of the American Revolution’s groundbreaking new special exhibition, Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia, brings together – for the first time – more than 100 historical artifacts to tell the inspiring story of free Black Philadelphian James Forten and his remarkable family, from the Revolutionary era through the Civil War and Reconstruction. The exhibition runs through Nov. 26, 2023 and is included with regular Museum admission.

Black Founders explore the Forten family’s roles in the Revolutionary War, business in Philadelphia, and the abolitionist movement from 1776 to 1876, including their roles in helping to start both the American Anti-Slavery Society and the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society in 1833. During those 100 years, the family also took an active role in defending voting rights and civil liberties for African Americans.

The exhibit will focus on three generations of the Forten family, from James Forten and Charlotte Vandine Forten to their children and grandchildren, who supported the Union cause during the American Civil War.

The exhibit also features videos, audio experiences, and tactile interactives, including a partial recreation of James Forten’s sail-making workshop that visitors can step inside to discover replica tools and a workbench like those used by Forten. Visitors will encounter a scale model of the Royal Louis, the privateer ship that Forten served aboard in 1781, as well as a touchable cannon from the 1700s. Visitors of all ages will be able to try on clothing like that worn by 18th-century sailors, similar to what James Forten wore as a teenaged sailor during the Revolutionary War.