How can we help?

It is a massive mission to ensure that American men, women, and children of African and Indigenous descent who served in the Revolutionary War take their rightful place in American history particularly during the upcoming commemoration of America 250.

Much needs to be done in a very short period and there are plenty of opportunities for federal, state, and local governments, and organizations large and small, and individuals and scholars across the nation to aid in this effort.

One of the first things that any organization or individual can do to assist the Society of the First African Families of English America in bringing to the public’s attention the contributions of Americans of African and Indigenous descent, is adding your name to our sponsors and supporters list …and getting involved.

Artist	Artists bring to our attention your artistry that displays the Forgotten Patriots and/or consider this as a project for additional enlightenment. We need art that displays the stories of individual participants and their families and the role of the Forgotten Patriots in local battles or in the overall war effort.
Descendants	The Daughters of the American Revolution in 2008 published the names of 6,631 American patriots of African and Indigenous descent who served in the Revolutionary War, but that has now become the floor and not the ceiling of the number who served. If you are a descendant, please share your information/data with us so that we can buildout and add their information to our comprehensive descendant database.
Genealogical Societies	Genealogical societies may have published in past journals stories or genealogies about the Forgotten Patriots and their descendants. This vital research is critical to augment what is already known. Genealogies are vital to connecting present day descendants to their Forgotten Patriots.
Governments	State and local governments can ensure that in programming dollars, commemorative 250 actives, grant allocation funds are allocated to support the scholarly research on the forgotten patriot.
Historical Societies	Historical societies may have published in past journals stories or genealogies about the Forgotten Patriots and their descendants. Historical societies may know of local landmarks graves, preservation sites, battlefields or may have artifacts that are critical to having a better understanding of the Forgotten Patriots.
Humanities Departments	As we seek a better understanding of the Forgotten Patriots, it is imperative that funds be made available for research projects that advance the knowledge and understanding of the men, women and children who were the Forgotten Patriots, their families and the communities that they lived in pre and post the American Revolution.
Libraries	Libraries can forward to us the titles of the best children, adult and scholarly publications that promote the history of the Forgotten Patriots.
Lineage	Lineage societies preserve the past for future generations, trace family history and origins by searching historical records, online databases, oral interviews, and genetic records. It is imperative that lineage societies assist in promoting the historical contributions of the Forgotten Patriots in the founding of this great nations at the chapter level across the nation, and assisting to identify present day descendants.
Reenactors	Outreach to black reenactment groups to ensure representation of black Revolutionary War soliders and allocate funds to compensate as part of an outreach program. Our reenactors will be vetted using the guidelines of the Museum of the American Revolution for authenticity and scholarly knowledge.
Scholars	Scholars bring to our attention your scholarly works on the Forgotten Patriots and consider this as a project for a scholarly Project. We need stories of individual participants and their families and the role of the Forgotten Patriots in local battles or in the overall war effort.
Speakers Bureau	Members of the Society the First African Families of English America can be consulted on how to improve and enhance programming, serve as speakers and presenters. We strongly urge that any speaker/presenter be well versed in the pre-colonial and Revolutionary War era be vetted for completeness and accuracy.
Tourism	Offices of Tourism promote where tourists see and do and where tourist dollars are spent in campaigns and in promoting local jurisdictions. It is imperative that Offices of Tourism build out promotions to the general population featuring the Forgotten Patriots and reenactors to portray with dignity the men, women and children who aided in the founding of the United States of America at the national and local levels. Offices of Tourism can also develop black tourist guides and attractions for the black tourists.
Veteran Groups	Veterans’ groups can conduct oral presentations of military experience and draw conclusion with the Forgotten Patriot during the time of war and its aftermath. Develop programs to work with ROTC cadets.
Volunteers	If you are a potential volunteer and would like to help but not sure where to start, we desperately need help in (a) identifying the grave sites of Forgotten Patriots and their locations; (b) we need help in gathering photographs of headstones or grave markers of Forgotten Patriots (and their locations); (c) we need help in identifying cemeteries from the colonial period of free, freed and enslaved Americans of African and Indigenous descent; (d) we need help with conducting genealogical research on the descendants of Forgotten Patriots; (e) if you like to write we need help in writing short biographies on the Forgotten Patriots. In summary, whatever expertise you may have and if you are committed in making this a national project, please let us know. Thank you.