Forgotten Soldier explored the American Revolution from the African American perspective, revealing the courageous patriotism of those who risked so much for the promise of freedom, yet gained so little in the eyes of the new nation, and of history. A special exhibition at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, this exhibition drew on the Jamestown -Yorktown Foundation’s extensive international connections to bring together an unprecedented artifactual record of an untold story. The voices of the Forgotten soldier were lifted from these records to create a gallery of names and quotations. The theme “shifting your gaze” explored how these records could be seen in a new light to reveal the personal experiences that make those forgotten by history present and real.
A centerpiece of the exhibit was a bold work of contemporary art by Titus Kaphar, whose artistic vision explores ways to reshape how we look at history to reveal forgotten voices. PRD worked closely with the exhibit and curatorial staff of the Foundation to offer a new way to look at the American experience.
- Client: Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
- Location: Yorktown, VA
- Timeline: September 2018 - June 2019
- Size: 4,500 sq.ft.
- Exhibit fabrication: Capitol Museum Services, Inc.
- Media production: Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
