The JXN Project

JXN would like to thank Danny Nokes of VPM for including the project in his article on the release of “Declarations: Black Americans and The Revolutionary War” — airing on PBS on Monday, June 29 at 10pm EST!

***

“Despite being the first Black homeowner in Jackson Ward, a neighborhood from which me and my sister, Enjoli, descend from three generations, I had never heard of Abraham Peyton Skipwith before the wake of 2020. At first, it was disheartening to learn that his life and legacy had been all but forgotten by a community that he helped to build. And this sentiment was further compounded when realizing that the home he had built in 1793 and bequeathed to his descendants in 1799 was dislocated to the former plantation of the Confederate Secretary of War to make way for an interstate that would tear the nation’s first historically registered Black urban neighborhood in half. But then, I realized that me and my sister, as well as city, commonwealth, and country as a whole, had been given a perfectly time gift of learning about a forgotten founding father of our own — and just in time for the U.S. Semiquincentennial.

With it being said that 1 in 4 Black Americans can retrace their roots to the rivers in the Richmond area, stories about forgotten foremothers and forefathers like Abraham Peyton Skipwith are deeply important to disrupt the one dimensional narratives that we’ve been told about the role of Black people during the revolutionary founding of the nation. When stories are told, we as Black Americans are often either on the periphery or not included all together, but “Declarations” is rare in its centering of the Black American experience in the pursuit of a more perfect union. And my hope is that the work of The JXN Project, as shared in the film, helps to inspire others to find the forgotten founding figures in their respective community. The next Abraham Peyton Skipwith and Jackson Ward are waiting to be found — even if 250 years later.”

Dr. Sesha Joi Moon, PhD
Co-Founder, The JXN Project

New VPM documentary Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War brings untold stories to light Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War explores the lives of Black Americans whose courage, choices and pursuit of freedom helped shape the Revolutionary War era.

WOW — Tickets to the network premiere screening of VPM’s “Declarations: Black Americans and The Revolutionary War” at the VMFA on June 29 have sold out in less than 24 hours. The waiting list is now open and a few tickets are still available for the world premiere at the Museum of the City of New York on June 20 — and mark your calendars for the network premiere on June 20 on PBS at 10pm EST.

Also, catch the film this summer at the Global Black Economic Forum at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture on July 3, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival on August 7, and Run Richmond 16.19 with the Djimon Hounsou Foundation at VMHC on September 13!

Happy Pride! The JXN Project is just days away from the world premiere of “Declarations: Black Americans and The Revolutionary War” — a film by Virginia Public Media — at the Museum of the City if New York on June 20th in celebration of Juneteenth. The film’s network premiere will follow on PBS on June 29th at 10pm EST. The film is directed by Stacey Holman and produced by Maya Tepler — and features artwork by Hudson Campbell, which is the network’s first ever film to feature art generation via responsible artificial intelligence. Mark your calendars!

The JXN Project | Abraham Peyton Skipwith by Hudson Campbell Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

The JXN Project would like to thank the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the Richmond for previewing The JXN Haus and Skipwith-Roper Cottage — we look forward to hosting tour groups by appointment only beginning in the fall!

The JXN Project would like to congratulate Richmond’s very own, S. Ross Browne, who was selected as an exhibiting artist for the 2026 Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery in London — he is among only 52 of 1,424 artists selected to exhibit from across 63 countries.

His oil portrait, “My Friend As He Is”, portrays Jackson Wardian Neverette Eggleston III — or more affectionately known as “Sugar Foot”. The Egglestons are one of the longest running Black-owned hospitality empires in the state — with Hotel Eggleston appearing in “The Negro Motorist Green Book” as a safe space for legends like Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington when they would visit 2nd Street in Richmond, VA as one of the original Black Wall Streets. And in contemporary times, “Croaker’s Spot” and “Sugar’s Crab Shack” have been local staples with national culinary and cultural acclaim — with the former celebrating their 25th year anniversary in 2026.

The oil on canvas measures at 36x 48 [sight] and will tour throughout the United Kingdom before being on view from June 25 through October 7 in London. This exhibition follows the selection of “Huntress” by Governor Abigail Spanberger, which now sits at the entrance of the Virginia Executive Mansion — the very first curatorial selection of the Spanberger Administration.

The JXN Project is especially proud as Browne has been a long-time artistic collaborator — offering portraits of N.A. Eggleston Sr. for “Unveiling The Vanguard: Share More Shoulders” and “The Skipwith-Roper Cottage” as part of “House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History, which is now on view at the reconstructed site. [🖼️ | 📸 ]

The network premiere of “Declarations: Black Americans and The Revolutionary War” on PBS is a month away. The film is produced by Virginia Public Media and will premiere on June 29th at 10pm EST along with other programming for PBS America250 to include “The American Revolution” by Ken Burns and “Find Your Roots: Secret Lives” by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, as well as “Antique Roadshow: 250 Years of Americana — mark your calendars!

PBS America @ 250 Continues with Semiquincentennial-Themed Programming PBS America @ 250, a multiyear celebration of U.S. history, culture, and children’s programming, which began in spring 2025 and continues through America’s Semi-quincentennial in 2026 and beyond, is part of the largest national and local engagement effort in its history. New programming will air...

The JXN Project would like to thank Scott Bass of Richmond Magazine for featuring “The Skipwith-Roper Homecoming” in this month’s issue in an article titled “Nice Shot: Reclamation Project” — on newsstands now!

Nice Shot: Reclamation Project The reconstructed Skipwith-Roper Cottage brings a piece of history back to Jackson Ward.

The JXN Project and Virginia Public Media are partnering with the City of New York and Office of the Deputy Speaker of the New York City Council to host the world premiere of “Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War” at the Museum of the City of New York on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 6pm in commemoration of Juneteenth as part of the U.S. Semiquincentennial. The premiere will also include a tour of the exhibition “The Occupied City: New York and The American Revolution”. The theater has limited capacity and tickets are going fast — to purchase a ticket, please visit https://www.mcny.org/event/declarations-black-americans-and-revolutionary-war.

Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War Join us during Juneteenth weekend for the world premiere screening of Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War.