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 “Here to Stay,” a short film by Wes DeShano, Boston-based LGBTQ archivists discover that revolutionary trailblazers come in many forms and stories. From feminist icon Deborah Sampson—who cross-dressed to fight in the Revolution—to the current struggle of a local historian to fight the federal administration’s erasure of trans peoples,”Here to Stay” shows the ongoing pursuit of the revolutionary promise that all people are created equal.
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.