Soul Value is an innovative program celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary era through rigorous historical research and creative interpretation that foreground New England’s role in shaping the ideals of freedom, equality, and independence. The project draws directly on bibliographies, written records, and court documents housed in colonial and state archives, transforming primary-source research into embodied performance narratives. By translating archival materials into monologue, dance, ritual, and song, Soul Value connects documented history to lived experience, making the past accessible and resonant for contemporary audiences. The work centers the impact of Black and Indigenous women in 18th-century New England—specifically Elleanor Eldridge, Elizabeth Freemen, and Margaret Kinnicutt—alongside the marginalized men of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, highlighting how Black inhabitants of the region used both the law and creative strategies to demand recognition, autonomy, and equality. Their engagement with legal systems, contracts, petitions, and military service demonstrates how principles of independence and revolution were not abstract ideals but were actively tested and claimed by those excluded from full citizenship. By recognizing 1700s inhabitants who made significant contributions to freedom, equality, and independence through their research into, and strategic use of, the law, Soul Value is an inclusive historical storytelling experience.

Learn More at Soul Value – RI250