On November 4, 2026, Governor Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller unveiled a monument honoring over 150 Black Marylanders who served in the Revolutionary War. The monument, commissioned by the Maryland State House Trust in 2023, is the first major addition to the State House grounds in over a century.
The unveiling ceremony included a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and remarks from state officials, highlighting the contributions of Black soldiers to Maryland's history.
Press Release: Office of the Governor of Maryland
Published November 4, 2026. Reproduced in full from the Office of the Governor of Maryland.
Governor Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller and Maryland State House Trust Unveil Monument Honoring Black Revolutionary War Soldiers
ANNAPOLIS, MD: Today, Governor Wes Moore, Chair of the State House Trust Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, and the other members of the Maryland State House Trust unveiled the first major addition to the State House grounds in over a century with a monument honoring more than 150 Black Marylanders who served in the Revolutionary War.
Commissioned by the State House Trust in 2023 in recognition of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the monument cements the legacy of service and selflessness for the soldiers whose existence and contribution have been largely unknown in Maryland’s public history.
“Today, we honor the patriots who sacrificed everything, for the hope of us,” said Gov. Moore. “This statue will remind everyone that the freedoms we enjoy today are built on the backs of the brave Black soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. It is also a promise to continue the work of patriotism, inspiring us to build a brighter tomorrow for future generations.”
The unveiling ceremony featured a rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing performed by Delegate Malcolm Ruff, followed by remarks from the Maryland State House Trust. Governor Moore was joined by Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, Senate President Bill Ferguson and the First Lady Dawn Moore to officially unveil the monument. The sculpture was created by artist Branly Cadet, who was selected by a Monument Advisory Committee following a nationwide call for artists that generated more than 50 proposals.
“These Black patriots risked their lives for freedoms they themselves were denied,” said Lt. Governor Aruna Miller. “They fought not just for the America of their time, but for the America that could be. This monument ensures their sacrifices will never be forgotten. And the greatest way to honor their legacy is to continue what they started, widening the circle of freedom and building a more just America for generations to come.”
“In Maryland, we proudly celebrate our rich history and will always honor those who served this country,” said First Lady Dawn Moore. “Thanks to the work of the State House Trust and with our administration’s support, we are carrying forward the legacy of these brave Marylanders and creating a space where the next generation can be inspired by their service to our nation.”
“It has been an honor to work with all the public servants, authors, historians, reenactors, landscape and other design professionals, installers and construction crews to help bring this early American story back to life,” said artist Branly Cadet. “I hope our efforts honor the legacy of the Black Patriots who risked so much for a better future.”
In conjunction with the unveiling, the Maryland State Archives launched a new webpage with additional information on the service of Black Patriots from Maryland and the monument's creation.
Approximately 5,000 Black soldiers fought on the American side during the Revolutionary War. Although some were restricted to noncombatant roles, many served in regular infantry units alongside white soldiers. In Maryland, free Black men began enlisting in the summer of 1776. By 1778, enslaved men were permitted to serve as substitutes for white soldiers, and after 1780, enslaved men could enlist of their own accord.
The monument serves as a lasting tribute to these Marylanders, whose service and sacrifice helped write the first pages of our nation’s history, and ensures their stories are remembered by generations to come.
The Maryland Department of General Services managed this project in collaboration with the Maryland State Arts Council (Maryland Commission on Public Art) and the Maryland State Archives (Commission on Artistic Property).
More on the artist: Branly Cadet is a classically trained American sculptor and artist. He renders the human form in realist tradition, but considers himself a modernist who enjoys combining figurative sculpture with modernist strategies including text, abstraction, metaphor, and spatial dynamics. He seeks to create works of art that invite aesthetic, civic, and psychic contemplation. Cadet began studying sculpture at Cornell University and continued his studies in figurative art at the New York Academy of Art, and in France at the Vaugel Sculpture Studio and L’Ecole Albert Defois. Soon after, he won the prestigious James Wilbur Johnston National Figure Sculpture Competition.
