This evening performance and talkback of meet james for an exciting original play commissioned from playwright mercer excited to welcome you to this evening performance and talkback of meet james for net, a play commissioned by Marissa Kennedy for the museum. Khalil williams, who im joined by is the host of history maven, along ongoing project in our museum. Our diversifying living history initiative. After the performance, im going to vacate my seat and give it up to michael idriss, who is the museums African American interpretive, fellow lifelong philadelphian. Hes the brains behind the play that youre going to, see the historic advise around this piece. Written by Marissa Kennedy, which you will see performed by nathan alfordtate. Really excited to be doing a lot with james forten story, not right now when you can visit this cool painting that youll hear more about later. But also in the future, we have exciting programming and exhibitions about the forten family coming up. But im not going to steal any thunder all let you ask questions of polio and nathan and mike later. Feel free to drop your questions in the chat when we will be moderating a conversation and selecting some questions for these guys to answer. Without further ado, take your seats and meet games forten. William my dear brother in law. So, this is the commerce, ready to take us to england . Its almost time to set sail. A new voyage, a new opportunity. I know this kind of journey is familiar to you but this is a new adventure for me. This is my home. Doc ward, the noise of the wharfs, the mingling of different accents and languages. Irish, german, west indian, west african, british. Ive spent years watching the arrivals and departures of ships filled with trading goods like this one. Man loading cargo, roll makers at work. I visit all the ships carpenter s, shaping the wood and repairing damage from each ships most recent voyage. I especially loved watching the sailors host the sales and you know how much we all talk about my father, thomas. My father taught me to read, we would practice reading scripture or father would teach me the words of the hinge that we sing on sundays. As a boy, i followed him to robert bridges assail office, where he worked alongside white and black man, the only free african there. My father was meticulous in his work, he gave close and careful attention to every sale he crafted. I would say close to him, watching as he laid out the canvas across the floor and cut out the shapes of the sails. The sails were so big they had to be hoisted through the window. I had to stay clear of the way so not to get knocked down by their size and weight. When i got older, my father began teaching me sail making. Id help out around aloft by sweeping the floor or picking over scrap canvas to preserve the usable pieces. I prepared bees wax for sewing thread, its sweet, honeyish smell at my fingertips. My father gave me this sail making vague. It was, his learned how to use it. Stretching the canvas for grommets, i even learned how to sow a few canvas pieces myself. And by the end of the day, my hands were stiff and feet eight from all the work. My devout anglican father reminded me that god would indeed bless us if we followed the work of the lord and not of men. Eventually, he ventured on his own, making a few sails here and there. I was proud to be following in his footsteps. I imagine that would be my work one day, until he died when i was seven years old. After my fathers death, my mother, margaret, felt that receiving an education was the next important step. She sought the help of anthony benn is a, i still admire her for that. Asking a white quaker teacher to take me as a student. It probably helped that he was always ready to point out the contradiction between slavery and the christian doctrine. You knew that we could achieve the same things as white people. I think most of society sees us as inherently flawed, lazy, a burden. But at least when were not making a profit for them. But some people, like robert bridges and anthony benn is a c as for who we are, a people with a rich culture and history. But then again, robert bridges is a slave owner himself. Thats the corruption. Slavery. My mother and sister, your dear abigail, provided for the household and my education but were barely making ends meet. I was only at school for two years before i had to stop to find work. I heard of other free african children being forced into indentured servitude if they or their parents were found to be a burden on society. Boys, younger than me, being forced to work until they were 24 years old. But how . How would that help them or their families . I did whatever i could support my family. I picked up a jobs here and there, running up and down top ward. Sweeping floors, stocking shelves. I worked at the Grocery Store and, sometimes, i ran errands for bridges. I might have stopped school but i did not stop learning. I read. A bible, the newspaper and the pamphlets i would come across in the street. News of the rebellion was everywhere frightening and exciting at the same time. Delegates held meetings, people in the city boycotted british goods. And then reports from new england about lexington and concord, bunker hill. The revolution had begun. But what did this rebellion mean for africans . The enslaved africans at the sail loft did much of the same work as the white journeyman, but their only hope and aspiration was that one day they would be free. Maybe its a cycle. First, you work your life away trying to earn your freedom like my grandfather. Then, once you get, it you work your life away trying to keep it. I read a pamphlet by thomas paine. Thomas, like my fathers name. He was the one who showed us the areas of our ways. How could american say they were slaves to british tyranny when there were actual slaves among us . And saved by the very same people who scream to the loudest about taxation and representation. I was nine but even i could see there were two wars over freedom being fought around me. One was for the liberty and independence of america. One was for the liberty and independents of all americans. I was at the state house when they read our declaration of independence. The bells called me. I weaved in and out of the crowd, trying to get as close as i possibly could. We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are live, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that was how i knew we were all equal. We deserve life, liberty and happiness. Anthony taught africans had a read and write because of this truth. Thomas paine pamphlet spread the word, the declaration made it real. Sometimes, freedom wears a red coat. The british offered freedom to enslaved africans who abandoned their masters. Some of us found liberty that way. I hardly judge the people who joined that cause. What else would british give africans and exchange for their loyalty . Might it be better than what they would get in a newly formed nation . Who held the greater promise . Which side to choose . For me, there was no question. The declaration rang in my ears. This was my fight, for independents, liberty and the future. At this time, enslaved africans were granted gradual emancipation. Maybe after this fight, we could get more rights. Opportunities. Maybe even citizenship. But i had to beg my mother to let me go and fight. I joined a privateer. Not the navy, mind you. This was a better chance. Join a private ship and set sail to fight for the cause. And no small incentive, a chance at prize money. We were commissioned to capture enemy ships and keep the profits as our own. So, i could risk my life for the revolution and also provide for my family. I chose the royal lewis, captain steve decatur, and joined at the powder boy at the young age of 14. My job was to transport the gunpowder from the ships hold to the canyons on deck amid battle. All i had was a close on my back and hope. We were a motley crew. I wasnt the only african aboard the royal lewis but i was one of few people that could read and write his name. But really, none of that mattered. Our lives were in each others hands. Who we were alone was not as important as we were together. A crew. And our first crews on the royal lewis was a success. We captured many enemy ships from new york down to charleston, south carolina. Many of these ships are added without a single shot. When i returned home i was in good health with money in my pocket and the glory of victory in my heart. I turned 15 the day i watched the Continental Army marched through the streets of philadelphia on their way to yorktown. The road island regiment, now with two all african companies, marched proudly by. As brave man has ever fought. They were determined, unstoppable. And i was to. We were doing our part to carve out our place in the new country. I was only home a few days before we are put to see again. I was ready to capture more british ships. But we were not as untouchable as i thought. We sailed over the horizon and right into british hands. I knew that definition battle could be a possibility but, as a prisoner, from my weight shipmates i knew i pass a big change for british prisoners. At worst, they would be in prison for the extent of the war. But for me, i had heard of other captured african sailors being shipped to the west indies. Slavery, death in the cain field. I was terrified. I kept the lessons of my parents and the church close to heart. When we boarded the british ship, i promised myself that i had been taken a prisoner for the liberties of my country and would never prove a traitor to our interests. That promise kept me alive, it guided me. Sometimes, even away from the easy ways out. Because the british captain offered me a new home, to go with his son to england, where education and new opportunities awaited. It was a good offer, as anyone in my position could only hope to achieve something more than sweeping floors or stacking creates. But i refused. Had sailed too far to abandon the cause now. In the cost of that decision was the jersey. Even the single word is horrible to me now. A ship with the mast cut off, anchored in new york harbor, a floating prison filled with men and boys younger than i. I met daniel brutal, a white sea man, only 13 years old. But it didnt matter whether we were black or white, free or enslaved. We were literally in this together. Short rations and hard work either cleaning the ship or unending boredom in the airless lower deck. There was sickness and death everywhere. The hall, filled with prisoners held tightly together. The stench was unbearable and unforgettable. Sometimes, i wonder if this is what it felt like to be held on a slave ship. Escape seemed impossible. Men who tried to swim ashore risked two miles of open water. If they were lucky enough to get over the mud flats undetected, they still had to get to long island, which was under the control of the british. We schemed, of course, and once i came very close. And a present officer was to be exchanged and he would take his seat chest with him. I was just small enough to fit inside, covered by his clothing. But so was daniel brutal. And he was two years younger and in far worse shape than me. So, i switched places to let my white brother in arms depart. I helped him in and wished him well. I thought i could wait it out and be exchanged. Months passed and, slowly, my name moved up the ledger. Each month, i knew i was getting closer and closer to freedom. I was on the jersey for seven months. The war ended before my name ever came up. That was just a year ago. So, i walked, shoeless, from brooklyn to trenton, where i received aid, before arriving in philadelphia. The war had ended but i had missed most of the celebrating. My reward was reuniting with a healthy daniel bruten. And i certainly didnt think i would be ready to return to the sea again so soon, william. But when the wind shifts, we must trim our sails to suit. Who knows what london might hold, our evolution has only just begun. And the horizons have opened wide. I cant let my parents down. I have a Good Foundation and the lord said in the gospels, to whom much has given much is required. The problem is, im not sure what im required to do. I know i can do more than what ive done already. I press my life for our nations independents, my family and our people. Philadelphia will be here when we get back. And who knows, but we might just learn a thing or two in london from the british after all. But come, william, enough of this talk. Its high time we went to see and find out what kind of voyage we are in for james so, in this painting, you actually get to see 15 year old james forten on his birthday. James forten was born on september 2nd, 1766. So, on its 50th birthday, forten is seeing troops from the rhode island regiment as a link with washingtons troops on their way to yorktown. So, its just an awesome scene to see james forten, given that moment of reflection with his hat in the middle there. You can see as these members of the rhode island regiment, predominantly African American members of this particular group, moving through. So, just an awesome scene. We are just getting ready for our actor, Nathan Alfred tate, as we begin this discussion that kalela will be moderating. Good to see nathan here, as we get ready to get started. Appreciate it. Hello, everyone. Thanks so much for coming. Yeah, thank you. That was amazing. I always love seeing it. Gosh, so many questions, so many questions to ask. I want to start with the idea of why we are all here tonight. Why are we here . What does james fortens story have to tell us today . Wow, well, for me, james fortens story, whats so critical is as a person of african descent who, as a nine year old, witnessed the words of the declaration of independence being read by sheriff jon nixon for the very first time. It places him in a very integral point in american history. And then, to see a 40 of african descent making decisions to decide how, in my life, am i going to choose to serve this burgeoning country. And he is seeing events as a young man in the city where the first continental congress, Second Continental Congress had taken place. All this is happening within the backdrop of young james fortens life. So, to think that he will serve as a privateer and then go on to do incredible work as a sail maker. But connecting got work to other pursuits is something thats really important and something that we need to center and think about. Thank you. Actually, before we go to you, nathan, im going to quickly ask that question again. I know there is a bit of a glitch with the sound. The question was what does james fortens story have to tell us today . All right. For me, it tells such a great story of hope and tenacity. The fact that he did all of that in his very short 18 years of life. He did more afterwards, but to do so much in so little time, i think that is just very inspiring. Not only to think about whats americas but imagine what america could be. We see that in his actions and when he lets daniel bruten go into see chest in place of himself. Thats just the equal that ring true for him, that equality. Thank you. That was such a really compelling part of this piece. Its really great how there is new talent brought in and then, of course, who directed the piece that someone of the museum has worked with many times. Where is a kennedy, who wrote the play, is someone who the museum has worked with. Michael, this question is for you. Can you talk about the conception of this from the ground up . Creating this program from the ground up . To understand, there is so much of james fortens life that you really want to unpack, the hardest part was sort of just boiling it down. So, to look at just his service as a private here was really important. Because, like nathan just said, he managed to do so much in a short period of time. His connection into the sail making trade from his father up until the age of seven, where he has to make a shift into pursuing his education. But also taking on jobs to support the family. Then, again, seeing the backdrop of all the things that are taking place. Not just in philadelphia but up and down the colonies at that time. Then decided he wanted to serve. But all, of it you put it all together and it becomes something thats incredibly compelling. Something that is incredibly rich. And i think that is really where this begins to take shape. So, we started with learning objectives. One of the things i wanted was how, where you want individuals to meet james forten. We dont necessarily want to make about to be this incredibly untouchable hero. But we wanted to give him some scope and space, so that you can feel hooey is from the neighborhood that hes in here and doc ward. Feeling who he is an understanding some of the spaces and people he would encounter in his young life. So, to start from there, really kind of focusing on ways to bring that space out. But then to understand his skill craft, utilizing the fifth. We want to put that altogether into an educational component that was also entertaining as well. It was. I loved the physicality of this. Nathan, actually, my next question is for you. That is, youve been doing this role quite a bit. What was it like becoming james forten . As a young man, what was it like stepping into this role . And now that youve done it for a bit of time, what is it like an happening this role now . Absolutely. Its big shoes to fill. In the beginning, i had to really focus on getting all the lines down and things of that nature. But once i began to get comfortable with the text and i was really able to play and think about what could james be thinking in these moments, what does it mean to hear these words, the declaration of independence for the first time. And what does that mean to be in these different settings. Im just so grateful and really honored to be able to do this, in multiple times. I think its such a pleasure to be able to share this information with so many people. And i try my best to treat each performance as the first performance. It really does, the performance, really does embody the space. My next question, you mentioned the painting right behind us. Were actually in a whole gallery full of his paintings, but as brave men as ever fought is right behind us. How did this inform the production of this, the creation of this as well as a performance of the peace. It really comes down to visuals. Its always great to have a multi sensory experience and to know of the moment. To read it, a reflection of it in julie which is book, a gentleman of color. Its incredible. But then to actually see it come to life and to see the dirt roads, to understand the different faces. To also just think of james forten being a 15 year old and what that means. Then, of course, the iconic space that in this painting isnt independents all quite yet, it is the state house. But being able to also center this iconic image of america and to have a young man of african descent be right at the center of it, how it shapes his life in his reflections of looking at other men of african descent march through philadelphia in their rhode island regiment uniform, with their hunting shirts. Just, again, that threat of connection. Its an intergenerational connection. Some of these men are older than james, some could have been around even potentially the age of his father. Its just being able to see yourself reflected and other people, which i think is very powerful and its a great to see in that often is not something that one can close our eyes and imagine. You dont have to do that any longer, theres an actual visual to it. Absolutely, absolutely. Something that i think about, something i focus in on, is the dust rising. Seeing all the different hats. Seeing all the people marching along, imagining how loud that must be and exhilarating. I think that there must have been so much excitement and invigoration from these words being read. And to seeing the rhode island regiment cross. Yeah, i love how the paintings really speak to the museum itself. The idea of noise and sound. When you walk to the exhibitions in the museum, you can hear voices. You can hear people whispering, you can hear people shouting. So, my next question, nathan, its also for you. That is student groups. Can you talk about how student groups, i was speaking with student groups different trump speaking with general audiences . Is there a difference . That is a bit of a difference. In the sense that, you know, for the time being, a lot of the educational performances are over zoom. Its very similar to the performance tonight, where im performing by myself in a room and all the other School Groups are over zoom. Theyll ask questions, things of that nature. I really just been very excited by their questions. Theyve asked some really challenging ones. Whether its me as an artist, or how do i relate to james forten. One question that they mightve asked you today was, why do you think that he allowed daniel bruten to go into the sea chest instead of going himself . I think those are very thoughtprovoking questions. Im just so excited that students at the young age that theyre at are able to receive all this rich information. Thank you. Actually, just sort of going back to the beginning of this again, the idea of how this performance, at the creation of this, was informed by primary sources. Can you tell us, first of all, but our primary sources . And how do they inform this piece . Kalela, one of the things thats most challenging about this work, especially when youre assembling it, its getting the actual voice of the person. Specially many talking about descendants of african descent, there is not always a large body of letters that the individual themselves were able to write that we have record of, that we can actually disseminate information from. We are very fortunate with james forten to be able to have a good collection of letters to family, to friends, to politicians, too intermediaries. Other people in business. In his scope that he is working with. So, with james and also in correspondence with his family as well. That rich resorts helps us to be able to find words and phrases in his life that speak to nathans performance. One of the things i love is when he talks about never giving up his allegiance to his country. Like, he says that, those are actually james fortens words. To hear him voice that im not going to take the easy way out. I just think thats an incredible reflection of his character, just of who he was as a person. So, i think its really important to note that fortens words were very much integral to this performance into this piece. Yeah, do you have any thoughts about anywhere that you read that might have especially, obviously youre reading a script, but anything that especially enhanced the way you perform this . Similar to not wanting to be a traitor for his countrys interest. Something that i really love, one of the lines i really loved is i sailed too far to abandon the cars now. To say that and think that, im in it now and we just have to see this through. Thank you. So, i have a question about youth. Because its incredible that this is a story of fortens boyhood. This is a story of forten from the age of 14 to the age of 18. He was a young man. So, my question is, did your experiences as a teenager and a young man, did that inspire in any way, were you able to draw from any experiences . Im treatments blended on a present ship, but were you able to draw from any experiences or any insights from your younger self . Any way that you could pull from that to take with you to this performance . Thats a good question. I think something that, in my youth, i really loved, but i imagine james to be is someone that is very much of social butterfly, i dont know thats an appropriate word. But thats when i see him as, in the sense of hes moving in all these settings. I think when i first read the script and he was at his fathers sail loft doing work and things of that nature, but then i see he was seven. That was as a seven year old. Thats a much different thing, you know . So, you have to be, as a child, he could only have been so talkative. But also very focused. I think that was something that i really related to, also being a little bit of a social butterfly. Not as focused, all of my, in my youth. But definitely something that i appreciate. Its always humbling when you read about children of the revolutionary era. You see sometimes their handwriting and their calligraphy and youre like, what. Mike, the you have any way to weigh in . Do you feel like there were any experiences as you are creating this, envisioning this, that you could draw from . Just think taking in the sights and sounds, again. There is no other generation that saw what was unfolding unfold the way it did. You might have seen the seven yearswar, something. But it wasnt as encompassing as the road to the revolution. To think of what james icing and other school kids of his age, what theyre doing potentially as well. Adding that to the mix. And just the other young men that he is coming in contact with. Captain maisys children, the two sons, daniel bruten, the individuals that he might have gone to school with at Anthony Benezet school. It does give you insight into the lives of young people. And what i think is really important that is transferable to why young people actually see in the play itself. They can think, wow, he was doing all this. He was working with a fake, taking up the scraps pieces, working with wax, doing all these Different Things, pretty tough work. But it doesnt sound like he is poohpoohing that because that was the time at which he lived. And its important for young people to not always places demands, the context of today, into the lives of individuals who lived in the past. So that we can give james that space and others who lived in that space as well as some intentionality and some understanding, connection with the world in which he lived. I want to go back to this idea of the items and what we know and how we know what we know. That is, how do we know what james forten looked like . Also, how is that used in terms of don troiani creating this image of him . Whats really cool about this image too is, because this is in between his two private excursions, get a look at james forten maybe with some money in his pocket. Eight and says, i got money in my pocket, thats awesome because its explaining what it means to be a privateer. Maybe getting a nice cut of the bounty, some of the things that you are able to procure from other ships. And how there is some pride, some swagger in his step. You know it feels like, when you get that first set and you go get your haircut and hit the town. For james, there is pride in your posture and to feel that. So, thats real connective symbolism that i think people can appreciate. And it just gives you a clear, again, another clear window into his life. We do have an image of james forten that survived as an older person. Its a Historical Society of pennsylvania. But we have a replica of it here, we have an image of him here. So, we actually do have a portrait of him. Its really cool. Nathans costume is wet a sailor, someone who is working at sea, would have been wearing. The way he wears his handkerchief, theres some stylized ways of doing that. Theres a way of dangling the tassel to your shoe and a dandy swagger way for those that work at sea. , so we wanted to give some individuality to it as well, so that you can really appreciate the fullness of his costume. And just his persona. That actually get asked my next question, which has to do with what we wear. So, you, as an actor, youre used to costumes. But are you used to wearing hand disown, absolutely historical accurate, to the best of our knowledge, garments . Like what youre weighing today. Because what youre, wearing somebody actually said this by hand the way that it wouldve been done by, perhaps, fortens mom or sister, back when he was this age. How does it feel to embody this . Its such a great help to really figure out, oh, wow, just in terms of how youre able to move in regards to the shoes. The shoes dont have a lot of grip. On the tile floor, i have to relate walk awake im on ice. But in regards to you but the pants. Typically, there from the scraps that werent used for sales and things like that. And i am really warm. Just get used to various aspects of this outfit. But it helped inform me, how james could have moved, where the things that were possible. In terms of range of motion. And Different Things like that. I do want to add, really fast, just one thing that is so interesting to me is the string. Instead of, well i do have buttons on my pants, theres a sort of shoestring on the back thats used as a belt. If you could think of sweatpants but backwards, in order to tighten them. Its different, ill say. It is always interesting, this idea of, as someone who has done historical interpretation myself, it is interesting these ideas of underpinnings. For women, of course, you have stays. Thank you drop something and you are like oh. Seriously, i was at the museum once in a costume and i dropped something and i had to ask a guest to pick it up for me because im like, hey, this is awkward. Do you have any insights, as far as you are working in costume, working in these historically accurate governments . Especially yes, because one of the individuals were i take on a persona would have been an elder to james forten, cyrus boston ill. A philadelphia baker. Being able to tell his story, some of that would work with james later in his life. Someone where cyruss daughter would have worked with and new james forten as well. And that particular costume, there is a nice little apron that goes with it and its just something rich about being in costume and there is nothing that you can transfer and to change someones concept of whats a person, especially people of african descent, with that looks like. There are sort of limited thoughts of, based on a person standing, if he was on slavery, of what their work was like. These individuals contributed in so many ways, from their skill set, trade craft, their contributions interesting gauge met with their community. So, all of that can be encompassed by just being in costume and just giving life and image to something that is not something that is given a visual very often. It is interesting, this idea of community. Because in our historical percentage, we would have all known each other. I portrayed a schoolteacher, helena harris, also known as eleanor harris. Its just interesting, we would have known each other. Just a weird thing that went through my head. Wow, its almost like stepping back in time. My next question is an audience question. Theres just a really compelling question. That, is can you comment on portraying james forten as a free person, but whos living with the trauma of knowing that its people are enslaved . And that fear of also being captured insulted to slavery as well. Yeah, absolutely. Its a very interesting Vantage Point that james had, in the sense that there was a lot of privilege that not many were afforded during that time, of course. But to know that, you know, at any moment that could be taken away. Similar to when they were captured and put upon the amphibian. He says possibly going into the cane fields and Different Things like that, there were instances in his life where he was getting very close to that line. So, yeah. And its so interesting i, during a performance, when youre in the ship and you think this must be what its like. I wonder if this is what its like. That way that the experiences are speaking to that lived experience, speaking to ancestral experience. Absolutely. I think him just getting paused to take that into account, but the possibilities were, being sent off, the differences and juxtaposition between white officers liu, potentially just being imprisoned for the entirety of the war. Wherever that might have been at that time. Versus never seeing your family again, as a potential consequence for you. Oregon, doing labor in a space so far away, disconnected from your family. Whats the end result possibilities where. So, hes 15, remember. So, who do you discuss this with . How do you build Community Within that space . One of the things i love about the book is it does talk about that, he does build community. Its important to know, as a sailor, that that strong connection of men of african descent, talking about that motley crew, james is probably more educated than many of those meant that hes in those conditions with. There are potentially relationships as far as building trust. People know who james is and what his responsibilities were. So, its important to think about how he sort of ingratiates himself there. But then coming out of that. As a free person of african assent, understanding how many people he sees in philadelphia. Philadelphias the largest city of freed people of african descent during james as early years. But hes also very much saying people enslaved in philadelphia and the juxtaposition of that is well. So, this will, again, undergird the rest of his life in the works that he will do. We actually have a message from a forten descendant who is saying thank you for that heartfelt performance. It makes him extremely proud to be a direct descendant of james forten. That is very, very cool. This is just amazing. Can you talk about the importance of genealogy in your work . And for a living history . I mean, its the constellation. Its what we use, it gives us that map. Its a much more when youre talking about the family, trees timelines that you can put certain dates up against one else is going on locally, statewide, nationally. To put things into context. Also just saying where people decide to break off. There are so many important components to it. But then, to take everything and take that sky view of this family tree. And remember, james wasnt the First Descendant was a 3 of african descent. The remarkable story in itself, how long their family had been here in philadelphia. Going back to potentially the 16 80s with william penn and the founding of the city. This was a space that was of course inhabited by indigenous people. By going back, to how the family and originated where we are today. Where we are here. Absolutely. Its such an amazing thing to, one, its such an honor to be able to perform for a descendant of james forten, i think thats amazing. Just the ability to track your lineage in such a way. For my family, personally, im able to track a few generations beyond. For, me i knew my great grandmother and i think that just passing on the baton and the fact that jamess children really continue the work of abolition and abolitionist work. Really help continue and keep his legacy going. Yeah, i imagine that this has encouraged you to maybe study more about your family history. Absolutely. Im someone who doesnt know a lot about my mother side of the family, going back so far. So, this definitely take my interest. As something before this but even more so now. But also underscoring the challenges, as an African American. Being able to go back and your familys roots, theres so many people whose families have been scattered and its very challenging to do this work. But its so wonderful that we have friends in the museum who have done that work and do workshops to help others begin to stitch their family legacies together. So, its really important work and were so thankful that we have such great friends to continue to help us and inspire us to continue on to find our backgrounds and our past. So, it is absolutely amazing that james forten survived all these experiences. Its a fortunes for us. Can you talk about his adult life and his adult work . And then abolitionist, as an activist . Id be remiss if i didnt start with the forten women and talk about his wife charlotte. Then, you go from there to especially his daughter, sarah louise, harriet, margarita. How they Work Together establishing schools, becoming pillars of the community and linking up with the philadelphia female anti slavery society. Hoping to establish pennsylvania all. So, out that scope of work coming out of james forton is incredible. But then, to think about what james did and taking over robert bridgess business. You, think he starts just doing odd jobs, bridges is so taken aback by him that he continually brings it back and gives him more positions within the sail loft. And when bridges is ready to retire, he passes a baton to james forten to take over the business. Where he becomes a thriving thousand air. Really becomes a pillar of his community. I like to think of him in a lot of respects to what Benjamin Franklin was in mid century 1700s philadelphia, forten it is, and a lot of ways, especially to the black community, a lot of that and more. And all the responsibilities he is taking on as well. Hes really a steward and pillar of the black philadelphia community. Im glad you mentioned the forten women, because that was, i even into the 19th century where we have charlotte, his granddaughter. A lot of important people who did amazing things. Going forward, what else are we open to discover about james forten, the black revolutionary war soldiers . When else are we looking to discover and how will that be brought to life here at the museum . Going forward, we are working diligently on an upcoming something that we are working, on an exhibition on the forten family. Ive been amazing how much has been scaffold in the last few years since ive been here. From discovery cards and from fortens work in a galleries to a virtual programming. That, you know, gives insides of fortens story. Theres so much to build upon and im very excited to incorporate nathans work. We have other pieces to this play as well that well see life one day. Its just a constant building of the connective threads that forten has laid right down the street from where the museum is today, right down the street from where he grew up. As a philadelphia and, should walk around and feel the connection to the spaces and places that james forten and his family and really all those who worked around him to the sarah bass allens. Its just incredible to see this whole constellation of people together. We have a few minutes left, i just have a few questions i want to ask. One is an audience question, nathan, what is the best question youve gotten from a kid about your performance . Best question. Yeah, i think it would probably be how do i most relate with james forten, similar to what i spoke about earlier. I think some other really nice questions where they were saying, one of the questions, something to the effect of what was your funniest mess up . And a performance. It was so honest i was like, oh, i actually have to think about that. So, i love that honesty. Awesome. So, the question i want to wrap up with is weve got an anniversary coming up, 2026 is going to be fortons in every of hearing the declaration of independence. And our anniversary of the declaration of independence as a nation. How do you want forten to be remembered across the nation . This is an audience question at a good one, from whoever asked it. I want james forten, i want Elizabeth Freeman, i want all of these really, the stories that have often not been shared nationally, to be in the same echelon as when we consider the founders. They are the founders, theyre the founding blocks and so many different ways when we think about fortens work as a sail make, or fortens work as a private, here is connections to the declaration. Same thing for someone like Elizabeth Freeman and how she worked with early founding documents to help get to her story of freedom. So, all of that should be in that pot when we talk about the stories that talk about the inception of this country. Absolutely. I think that really got, it got right to the point. Really just understanding the differences, saying the different perspectives that where there. When the declaration was being read. Who is affected by it and in what ways. I think that such an important part to learn. For me, i think growing up i didnt really know. I think theres a sort of understanding that it was equal but not really equal. It was for everyone but not really everyone. And so, to hear that a person of african descent heard these words and was charged in such a way to live out his life. As how we read and seen. I think its just remarkable. Thank you so much. I think thats whats really special about this museum, is the, way for me, its a way i can see myself. Back during the revolution. The revelation belongs to all of us, and i think thats really, really special. So, i want to thank everyone for tuning in. Thank you so much, michael idriss, think you so much, nathan alfordtate. I can, thank you all so much for tuning in and please catch us at the next program. And also, come to the museum, come visit. Come visit, as for sure. To watch online, anytime a cspan. Org history. This date of history explores why and how things happen and sometimes it the study of history explores the questions of why things happen. Sometimes whats seems to be familiar is revealed to possess many facets. In his new book, liberty is sweet, woody holton six out the Hidden History of the american
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