Introducing Artifacts of Independence: A New Series Exploring the Physical Record of the Nation's Founding

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in July 2026, the stories of 1776 and beyond are being retold across the country. Primary documents and other artifacts stand as important evidence of the historical record, and as touchstones for discovery that often reveal alternative narratives and more inclusive perspectives that improve our connections to the past.

This week, we launched Artifacts of Independence, a social media series running through December 2026. Though CCAHA conserves materials spanning the full timeline of American history, we chose to focus this series on the founding era because the ideals articulated then continue to shape our national identity—and because our Philadelphia home gives us unique access to objects from this period that bring those still-unfolding debates, rights, and responsibilities to life.

At CCAHA, understanding the American Revolution can begin with a scorched leather binding, a fading line of iron gall ink, and the distinct scent of 18th-century paper—from radical blueprints of state government to personal records of those who fought for their place within it. By conserving these materials, we ensure the raw evidence of our complex founding remains available for future generations to study and understand for themselves.

We begin during Black History Month with a rare c.1818 portrait of James Forten, a Revolutionary War veteran, master sailmaker, and abolitionist. It is one of the few surviving likenesses of a Black founder and a reminder that the Revolution's promise of liberty remained unfinished.

Follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook as we share more #ArtifactsOfIndependence.

Above: Portrait of James Forten, c. 1818, from the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Museum of the American Revolution's 2023 Black Founders exhibition.