Jordan Freeman: The Fight to Set a People Free
Connecticut Freedom Trail
Hartford
Aug. 26, 2025
How far would you go for freedom? That question had a dual meaning in the era of the Revolutionary War, as African Americans had to decide if they would fight for freedom alongside the same white men who enslaved them.
As I learned during the Connecticut Freedom Trail’s virtual presentation about Jordan Freeman, an African American who fought against the British right here in Connecticut, the goal may have been an independent United States, but the reason was a personal desire for freedom.
The presentation was given by Kevin Johnson, who works in the Connecticut State Library History and Genealogy unit. Johnson also worked as a performer, bringing African Americans from pivotal moments in our nation’s history to life. Johnson has been portraying Jordan Freeman for 17 years, giving over 700 performances as him and another African American historical figure, William Webb.
In fact, Johnson began the presentation in character as Freeman, launching into a song about the value of freedom and then sharing some information about himself.
If you think history is boring, then you need to see Johnson perform. He’s all smiles as he embodies Freeman, and the enthusiasm he has for the subject matter bursts out of him every moment. Johnson gives Freeman a sense of eager dignity. Not only is Johnson excited to play him, but he makes Freeman excited about the chance to fight for his freedom.
“Telling [Freeman’s] story makes me an American hero,” Johnson said, beaming beneath the triangle hat he wore during the presentation.
It helps Johnson’s performance that Freeman was an extraordinary person himself. He was born in 1732, and escaped from slavery as a young man. Eventually he found himself as the servant of John Ledyard, and the body servant of Colonel William Ledyard during the Revolutionary War.
It was in this latter role that Freeman found himself at the Battle of Groton Heights, where the British seized Fort Trumbull with a force of 800 men versus the 165 defenders. Despite a valiant effort, the revolutionaries surrendered the fort, but the British soldiers offered no quarter. Freeman was killed along with most of the other defenders of the fort.
Johnson said that Freeman’s presence at the battle was a testament to the willingness of African Americans to fight for their freedom, as enslaved people were often offered their freedom in exchange for fighting for the Revolution. More than 500 African Americans and Native Americans from Connecticut fought in the war, joining the 5,000 people of color who fought across the colonies. The British also offered freedom for remaining loyal to the crown, but Johnson said that the nascent patriotism of even enslaved people prevented most from taking the offer.
Johnson argued that the need to tell accurate history is more pressing than ever.
“If we’re going to grow as people, if we’re going to grow as a nation, then we need to tell these stories,” he said. “We have to share these stories with boldness, confidence and authority.”
People like Kevin Johnson, institutions like the state library and the volunteers at the Connecticut Freedom Trail don’t just share the stories, they bring them to life in an entertaining way. They give us the chance to learn from the past, and we must, because as Johnson put it, what goes around, comes around.
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