For Immediate Release James Forten, a Black Revolutionary War Patriot to be honored by Sons of the American Revolution at monument dedication on April 6, 2014 Louisville, Kentucky (March 26, 2014) – The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (the SAR), proudly announced today that a monument to honor James Forten, a Black Patriot of the American Revolution, will be dedicated on April 6, 2014. The dedication ceremony is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Pennsylvania. James Forten was a teenager at the time of the American Revolution. He was of color, but was born free. He was deeply moved by the principles of the Revolution, and was dedicated to the cause. After the Revolution, he became a staunch abolitionist, and along with Rev. Richard Allen, organized twenty thousand black Americans -- free and enslaved -- to defend Philadelphia during the War of 1812. He also became one of the wealthiest men in Philadelphia. When he died in 1842, his funeral was attended by hundreds of Philadelphians -- white and black, free and enslaved. Among those who will be attending the dedication is Julie Winch, author of A Gentlemen of Color: The Life of James Forten. Joseph W. Dooley, the President General the SAR, says, “It is not generally appreciated that thousands of Black Americans served during the Revolution, and helped our Nation achieve its Independence and Liberty. The SAR takes seriously its role to preserve the memory of all Revolutionary War Patriots, and we are glad to honor James Forten, truly a hero of the American Revolution.” He continues, “The SAR has had Black members for decades, and in recent years, we have happily welcomed more Black men into our ranks. Many of these Black men are descended from white Patriots of the Revolution, but many others are descended from Black Patriots. The SAR does not care what color our members are, nor what color were the Patriots from whom we descend. We focus on honoring the Patriots, regardless of race.” The SAR is a non-profit, patriotic and educational organization, founded in 1889, and chartered by the U.S Congress in 1906. The SAR has 33,000 members around the world. Information For the Sons of the American Revolution go to sar.org. For the dedication of the monument to James Forten, contact Don Shaw at [email protected].
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 14:06:57 +0000
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