The four “Promises of the Revolution” films chronicle the efforts of present-day Massachusetts residents—from Marblehead to Mashpee—to hold the nation and themselves to the ideals that birthed the Revolution. Weaving together history with the challenges we face today, the documentaries show the diverse ways that young writers, Indigenous leaders, archivists, historians and artists tackle the 250th with creativity and courage. Their stories give viewers a window into the way history is made and why it is more important than ever.
In “Promises of Freedom,” a film by SmokeSygnals, members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe uncover and share some of the untold stories of their peoples’ service and sacrifices during the Revolutionary War period. Connecting the past to the present, tribal members continue to expand on the “Promises of Freedom” that apply to all, and to educate the next generation on their continuing right to petition authority
The “Promises of the Revolution” film series represents a new partnership between GBH and Mass Humanities and reflects their mutual public missions to explore the ideas, people and places that shape the commonwealth.
“Promises” is based on four projects supported by Mass Humanities and conducted by Queer History Boston, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, WordPowered and the Marblehead Museum. The films were produced by Raeshma Razvi, with individual shorts directed by Wes DeShano, Evan Goodchild, and Steven Peters. The films are made possible through support from MA250 and the Eastern Bank Foundation.
