Historical Research Library
Discover the people, events, and key documents that shaped the Founding Era.
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Lemuel Haynes
African American clergyman and Revolutionary War veteran known for his writings on racial equality
Person
Sally Hemings
Enslaved woman in the household of Thomas Jefferson, who was likely the father of her six children
Person
Belinda, Patty Gipson, Jemima Hunt
Little-known figures in the fight for the abolition of slavery
Person
Absalom Jones
Abolitionist, religious leader, and founder of the first Black Episcopal church in the United States
Person
Henry Knox
A poor bookseller in Boston who became a close confidant of George Washington, a general, and first Secretary of War
Person
Lucy Knox
A daughter of eminent loyalists and wife of the Revolutionary War general Henry Knox
Person
James Madison
Fourth President of the United States known as the “Father of the Constitution”
Person
Dolley Madison
The influential First Lady who saved the portrait of George Washington during the War of 1812
Person
Samson Occom
Mohegan clergyman, writer, and orator who was a key figure in Native American rights and education
Person
Paul Revere
Boston patriot, famed for his “midnight ride,” whose art turned a local skirmish into a “Massacre”
Person
Margarita (Peggy) Schuyler Van Rensselaer
Youngest daughter of Philip Schuyler who married Stephen Van Rensselaer III, a wealthy and prominent New Yorker
Person
Mercy Otis Warren
Patriot, playwright, and poet who chronicled the American Revolution and corresponded with Revolutionary War leaders
Person