The Museum of the American Revolution may have an extraordinary relic in its possession.
Philly.com reports the museum houses what is believed to be the only surviving powder horn of a slain African-American Revolutionary War soldier. The horn belonged to Gershom Prince, a free Black soldier in the war. It is intricately designed with flowers, birds, a boat and a small house and hosts his signature, revealing that Prince was literate in a time where literacy for Black men and women was deadly.
Ocasio-Cortez and Markey unveil Green New Deal resolution
“What’s so rare is to have an object with a personal identification,” said the museum’s Chief Historian and Curatorial Director Philip Mead.
The flowers Prince carved, echoes of similar designs found within the middle class, demonstrate his status. The horn also boasts a date, “Sept. ye. 3rd Day 1761,” and a warning to thieves: “Steal not for fear of shame.”
Recent Comments