History Matters: How the American Revolution opened paths to freedom for enslaved people

Delaware Historical Society

The American Revolution is often remembered as a war for liberty, but for African Americans, it was a fight with even higher stakes. Many saw the war as an opportunity to claim their own independence; some by serving in the ranks, others by seizing newfound chances to escape enslavement.

On February 20th, historian and author Richard Bell visits the Delaware History Museum in Wilmington to speak about how the chaos of war created unexpected paths to freedom for many enslaved people.

In this edition of History Matters, Delaware Public Media’s Joe Irizarry is joined by Bell to explore this pivotal chapter in Black History.