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Forgotten Patriots – African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War: A Guide to Service, Sources, and Studies

The second edition of Forgotten Patriots (2008) identifies over 6,600 names of African Americans and American Indians who contributed to American Independence and is a nearly five-fold expansion in pages over the 2001 edition. Now available as a free PDF download, this 874 page document contains details of the documented service of the listed Patriots, historical commentary on happenings of the time, an assortment of illustrations, and an extensive bibliography of research sources related to the topic.

Following an introduction that provides context to the service of these often overlooked Patriots and the challenges faced in documenting their service, the book organizes its findings into chapters that include historical commentary, sources cited, names of identified Patriots and a bibliography directly related to each state and region of the country. Additional chapters also cover miscellaneous naval and military records, foreign allies, and the West Indies.

Seven appendices are included to elaborate on topics not often addressed in other publications:

  • Map of the Enslaved Population, 1790 Census
  • Documenting the Color of Participants in the American Revolution
  • Names as Clues to Finding Forgotten Patriots
  • The Numbers of Minority Participants in the Revolution
  • Glossary of Terms Used
  • Master List of Source Abbreviations Used in This Book
  • Contacting the DAR

Just as important to researchers will be the vast array of thousands of sources found in the book's extensive bibliography that provides a roadmap for those seeking to discover even more information on the topic.

The Forgotten Patriots research guide is an indispensable tool for students, scholars, historians, and genealogists interested in the important contributions of African Americans and American Indians in America's fight for Independence. On an additional level, the hope is that it will also encourage the female descendents of these patriots to join the important volunteer and educational work of the DAR.

Forgotten Patriots - African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War: A Guide to Service, Sources, and Studies is out of print, however, the entirety of the information can be downloaded for free as a PDF document.

The DAR Library continues to seek new opportunities to expand the Forgotten Patriots project. A supplement to this book includes additional names and documentation and can be downloaded for free as a PDF document - Forgotten Patriots Supplement 2008-2012.

Forgotten Patriots Downloadable Information

Forgotten Patriots - African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War: A Guide to Service, Sources, and Studies

Download PDF

This document contains the entire content of the 2008 publication which identifies over 6,600 names of African American and American Indians who contributed to American Independence. The 874 pages include details of the documented service of the listed Patriots, historical commentary on happenings of the time, an assortment of illustrations, and an extensive bibliography of research sources related to the topic.

Forgotten Patriots Supplement 2008-2012

Download PDF

This 82 page document contains all of the same type of information as the 2008 publication, but includes an additional three years of research revealing additional names of African American and American Indians who contributed to the Revolution. Additional sources and bibliographical information that was discovered after the publication of the book is also included in this supplement.

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