Thomas Dugan Public History intern Jas Wheeler discusses Concord’s history of enslavement and self-emancipation by examining how Brister Freeman, a man enslaved by Colonel John Cuming, found personal liberty through service in the Revolutionary War. Using John Cuming’s desk and Brister Freeman’s muster rolls, Wheeler draws attention to how Americans leveraged the power of writing and documentation to both enslave and self-emancipate.

Free with Museum admission. No advanced registration is required.

The Thomas Dugan Internship in Public History is supported by Ralph Earle and Jane Mendillo and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.

Photo provided courtesy of the Concord Museum