The Revolutionary War was among the most significant periods in the history of our country, and one of the iconic results of this period was the Declaration of Independence. While the Declaration established that “all men were created equal,” these truths weren’t so evident to the population of enslaved and freed Black people. A new documentary from VPM and director Stacey L. Holman explores the important role Black Americans played as America fought for its independence.

Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War makes its world premiere on June 20 in New York City at The Museum of the City of New York. The film premieres in Richmond at a sold-out screening hosted by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) on Monday, June 29 at 5:30 p.m. It will also make its on-air debut the same night at 10 p.m. on VPM PBS.

Attendees can purchase tickets to the NYC event here. While the event at the VMFA is sold out, you can join the waitlist for the event here.

As our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the documentary arrives at the perfect time. “This film is an opportunity to bring to light more hidden figures in history — stories that are important to the building of this nation,” said director Stacey Holman. 

Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War is part of PBS America @ 250, a multiyear celebration of U.S. history, culture and children’s programming, which began in spring 2025 and continues through America’s Semiquincentennial in 2026 and beyond.

Stacey continued, “There is so much we can learn about agency, endurance and most importantly hope, that viewers can apply to their lives today. Anytime we can connect history with the present, it reveals so much about the human condition and how to navigate the world.”

Watch the trailer for the documentary below:

Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War is a 60-minute documentary that follows the stories of four Black Americans as they navigate our country’s fight for independence and their individual pursuits of freedom.

• James Lafayette, who served as a double agent for the Patriots and helped bring down the British at Yorktown; 
• Harry Washington, who was enslaved by George Washington and escaped Mount Vernon to join the British troops; 
• Elizabeth Freeman, previously known as Mum Bet, who sued one of the most prominent patriots in Massachusetts while living under his roof; 
• Abraham Peyton Skipwith, an enslaved man who used his proximity to power and his unusual literacy  to petition for his own freedom and become one of the first free Black landowners in Richmond, VA.      

“When stories of Black people during the revolutionary founding of the nation are told, we as Black Americans are often either on the periphery or not included all together,” said Dr. Sesha Moon, Co-Founder of The JXN Project. “But ‘Declarations’ is rare in its centering of the Black American experience in the pursuit of a more perfect union. And my hope is that the work of The JXN Project, as shared in the film, helps to inspire others to find the forgotten founding figures in their respective neighborhoods.”

Woven throughout the documentary are interviews with scholars including the author of the acclaimed book Our Declaration, Danielle Allen; as well as winner of the National Humanities Medal, Edward Ayers; and young scholars like Virginia Commonwealth University’s Michael Dickinson. Audiences will also meet actor-interpreters Stephen Seals and Wanda Houston, who embody the story of Black historical figures who defined the era.

Taking its cue from the Declaration of Independence, the film has a four-part structure that brings the ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to life.

• Equality, which reexamines the Declaration of Independence in light of Black contributions to the Revolutionary War and the early republic  
• Life, which paints a picture of everyday living of people of color from enslavement to freedom  
• Liberty, which follows the courageous strategies towards freedom for enslaved people of African descent  
• Pursuit of Happiness, which celebrates the love, family and legacies of people of African descent today 

“Virginia played a pivotal role in the founding of America, yet many of the stories that helped shape our nation remain largely untold,” said VPM Chief Content Officer Steve Humble. “We are honored to partner with acclaimed filmmaker Stacey Holman to bring this powerful and important story to PBS and viewers across the country. Through projects like this, we can deepen our understanding of America’s history and the individuals whose lives helped define it.”

Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War will re-air on VPM PBS Thursday, July 2 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday July 5 at 2 p.m.

Premiere Screenings

• World Premiere Event in NYC 
  • – Join VPM on Saturday, June 20 in New York City for the world premiere screening of Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War at The Museum of the City of New York! 
• VMFA Event Information 
  • – Join VPM on Monday, June 29 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) for a special screening of Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War 
    • – The event at the VMFA is sold out, but you can still join the waitlist for the event here!  
    • – Prior to the screening, enjoy a reception, share your stories in VA250’s storytelling booth & explore our community partners’ programs and resources. 
    • – Attendees will also be treated to a panel discussion with the filmmakers and historians after the screening.