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Marblehead has been awarded a $20,000 “Promises of the Revolution” grant from Mass Humanities to support a new project exploring the lives of Black and Indigenous residents who contributed to the American Revolution.
The grant is part of a statewide initiative distributing $600,000 to 34 cultural organizations as Massachusetts prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The “Promises of the Revolution” program funds projects that examine themes of equality, democracy, immigration and Indigenous sovereignty through public events, exhibits, oral histories and documentaries.
Marblehead’s project, “We Were There: Reclaiming the Histories of Black and Indigenous Marbleheaders in the Revolution,” will expand the Marblehead Museum’s permanent exhibit and develop a digital curriculum for grades 5, 8 and high school. The curriculum, aligned with Massachusetts state frameworks, will help educators bring local Revolutionary-era stories into classrooms across the commonwealth.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Town of Marblehead, the Marblehead Museum and Marblehead Public Schools. It builds on a previous Mass Humanities —funded project, “Interpreting Slavery and the Enslaved at the 1768 Jeremiah Lee Estate,” launched in 2023.
“This award recognizes Marblehead’s leadership in uncovering and sharing underrepresented stories from the American Revolution, particularly those of Black and Indigenous residents, both enslaved and free, who served in and supported the war effort,” said Donna Cotterell, Marblehead’s grant coordinator.
Mass Humanities Executive Director Brian Boyles said the grants aim to make Revolutionary history relevant for all Massachusetts residents. “The Revolution belongs to all of us,” Boyles said. “We must work together to make its history and its values accessible and meaningful for every American.”
Since 2021, Mass Humanities has distributed $3.8 million in Expand Massachusetts Stories grants with support from the Mass Cultural Council and the Barr Foundation. The organization, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2024, serves as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information about the “Promises of the Revolution” initiative or a full list of grantees, visit masshumanities.org.
