To mark the 250th anniversary of America’s struggle for independence, two organizations, American Battlefield Trust and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), have a collaborative project that will travel to libraries, historical societies and museums through the country.
Johnson County will be fortunate to kick off America’s 250th birthday early by hosting this exhibit at the Johnson County Historical Museum beginning on February 14 through February 28. David Pfeiffer, director of the museum, is excited to have the museum host this traveling exhibition. He credits the local chapter of DAR, the Alexander Hamilton Chapter, for securing Franklin as a host spot.
The exhibit will include 12 display panels and three interactive digital kiosks that use storytelling, illustration, technology, unique artifacts and primary accounts to connect modern audiences with the people and places that shaped our nation. The exhibit features stories of diverse viewpoint and experiences, retelling the stories of Patriots and Loyalists, men and women, black and Native populations, and even international allies. Rather than focus on the more famous generals and statesmen, the exhibit introduces us to drummer boys, military mapmakers and other ordinary people.
The display will introduce us to real people such as Sarah Osborn Benjamin, who supported the Patriot frontline, Winsor Fry, a former slave fighting as a Patriot and navigating life in a new nation, and Thomas Brown, a Loyalist who endured torture and eventually exile. The American Revolution Experience invites visitors to consider the choice faced by members of the revolutionary generation as tensions mounted in the 1770s; would these ordinary citizens risk their lives and livelihoods in pursuit of liberty, or would they remain loyal subjects of the British crown, coming into conflict with neighbors and family?
While Franklin is one of 18 stops for the traveling exhibit, you can also access the exhibit online. The museum will hold the traveling display in its auditorium during regular operating hours. The museum and the exhibit is free to the public. Elevator access is available. The museum is located at 135 North Main Street in Franklin.
To learn more about American Battlefield Trust and the exhibit, visit battlefields.org. To learn more about Daughters of the American Revolution, visit dar.org.
