WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An unprecedented new
publication highlighting the contributions of African Americans and
American Indians in America's War for Independence is now available from
the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The second
edition of Forgotten Patriots - African American and American Indian
Patriots of the Revolutionary War: A Guide to Service, Sources, and
Studies, published in May 2008 by the DAR 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. The 9" x 12" hardbound book with 872 pages 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.
Forgotten Patriots is a unique publication that offers an enormous
amount of research and original sources, covers all regions during the
years roughly from 1775 to 1783 and is distinctive in the fact that this
variety of information is all compiled into one resource book. No other
similar guide exists for the history of the participation of African
Americans and American Indians in the Revolutionary War. Such an extensive
list of names and supported documentation of their service has never before
been published. Probably just as important to researchers is the vast array
of thousands of sources found in the extensive bibliography that provides a
roadmap for those seeking to discover even more information on the topic.
The book organizes its findings into chapters that include U.S.
state-specific historical commentary, sources cited, names of identified
Patriots and a bibliography. Seven appendices are included to elaborate on
topics not often addressed in other publications such as the challenges of
documenting the color of participants in the American Revolution, the often
discussed but never authoritatively verified number of minority
participants in the Revolution, and information on how to contact the DAR
with questions or to offer additional information related to the topic.
While the majority of the content is reporting of fact as opposed to
narrative, a number of interesting personal stories emerge as well. These
stories provide insight into the individual aspirations, struggles and
achievements of many other African American and American Indian Patriots
for whom such documentation has been lost to time.
DAR Library Director, Eric G. Grundset, Editor and Project Manager of
Forgotten Patriots, describes in the book's introduction the "rewarding,
informative, and captivating" work on the project and intended goals for
the publication. He explains that nearly a quarter century of research has
gone into the preparation for this book and its predecessor publications,
with several DAR employees spending countless hours searching across the
country for documents that reveal the names and supplemental information of
minority participants in the War for Independence.
The Forgotten Patriots research guide will be 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, Grundset writes,
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."
"The subject of this book is essential to the work of the DAR to
document the history of the role of all individuals in the Revolutionary
War and to preserve it for future generations," explains Grundset. "While
the research to identify and document forgotten patriots will continue as
part of the daily activities of the DAR, it is hoped that this work will
spur others to undertake an examination of their ancestry and the rich
heritage that has come to make up our great nation."
Forgotten Patriots - African American and American Indian Patriots of
the Revolutionary War: A Guide to Service, Sources, and Studies is
available for $35 (plus $8 S&H) from the DAR Store at http://www.dar.org/darstore
or by calling 1-888-673-2732.
For more information about Forgotten Patriots and to read excerpts from
the book, visit http://www.dar.org/forgottenpatriots.
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