Why I’m Writing About Revolutionary Women and the Enslaved

 When we think about the American Revolution, names like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams come quickly to mind. We remember the battles, the Declaration of Independence, and the birth of a nation. But for every Founding Father, there were hundreds of voices left unheard—women, enslaved people, and ordinary citizens whose courage and insight shaped the country in ways history has often overlooked.

This blog is my attempt to bring those voices to light.

I’ve spent years studying early American history, poring over letters, diaries, and records that reveal the lives of people often absent from textbooks. I’m fascinated by women like Abigail Adams, whose letters reveal a sharp intellect and moral courage, or Mercy Otis Warren, whose political writings challenged the status quo. And I am equally committed to uncovering the stories of the enslaved individuals on plantations, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon, whose labor sustained the new nation even as their freedom was denied.

Through this blog, I aim to explore:

• Historical biographies and profiles of Revolutionary women and the enslaved.
• Primary source analyses, from letters to pamphlets, revealing the ideas, struggles, and strategies of these often-silenced voices.
• Historical fiction excerpts inspired by real events, offering imaginative yet accurate glimpses into the lives of those who lived through the Revolution.

Why this focus matters: history is more than a timeline of famous men. It is the stories of the people who resisted, wrote, thought, and lived in the shadows of monumental events. By highlighting their perspectives, we gain a deeper understanding of the Revolution itself—the contradictions, the struggles, and the courage that defined it.

I hope this blog will become a place for learning, reflection, and engagement. I invite you to read, comment, and share these stories. Together, we can illuminate the hidden lives that history almost forgot, and explore what liberty meant—and still means—for everyone.

Stay tuned for our first historical spotlight: Nia, a literate enslaved woman in Philadelphia, who risked everything to spread ideas of freedom and justice.