Saturday, November 1, 2025, 11 a.m.
UPDATE NEW VENUE: Raritan Public Library, 54 E. Somerset St., Raritan, NJ 08869

James Forten, a child at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, served the American Revolution as a teenage patriot, privateer and prisoner of war. A sailmaker, Mr. Forten after the war established himself as a leading businessman in Philadelphia, one of the few men of color to own and operate a sail loft in the principal port of the early American republic. Established as a “Gentleman of Color,” Mr. Forten fought for the rights of African Americans and the abolition of slavery in the new United States and defended his country again in the War of 1812.

Keith Henley portrays James Forten for American Historical Theatre. Mr. Henley’s background is one of great diversity. He graduated South Carolina State College with a major in chemistry and minors in mathematics and biology. Later, he went on to study Theatre Education at Camden County College. He currently owns and operates J.O.Y. Productions, Queenie’s Homemade Sweets and Catering, & Alpha Designs. In addition, he is the Artistic Director and Choreographer for Folkloric Heritage Culture Arts Company Inc. of Cherry Hill. He began his historic interpretation career with Historic Philadelphia, Inc. and has since worked for American Historical Theatre and History First Hand and has performed for the Smithsonian Associates’ Teaching American History program, Historic Germantown, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia as well as local libraries.

This program is part of a series made possible by the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association, Proud Partner of Revolution NJ, with the sponsorship of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. #njhumanities

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this series do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.

The Raritan Historic and Cultural Committee and Raritan Public Library courteously provide use of the historic Gen. Frelinghuysen House as venue for this program.

The Prince Rodgers Foundation are special partners for this program.

The life of James Forten offers a Black patriot and privateer’s perspective on the waterfront world of sails and ships of which Scottish emigrant and Philadelphia merchant John Wallace was a part before the construction of the Wallace House 250 years ago.

250 years after Scottish emigrant and Philadelphia merchant John Wallace built the Wallace House at “Hope Farm,” the Wallace House is under construction again as part of Down the Brook: The Revitalization of Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage State Historic Sites for Revolution NJ. The historic rehabilitation of Wallace House is being supported in part by a Semiquincentennial Grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

? Revolution NJ is New Jersey’s official observance of the 250th anniversaries of New Jersey’s first Constitution July 2, 2026 and the American Revolution in New Jersey from 2024 – 2033.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1038250141703813