Jordan Freeman

Jordan Freeman was an African American servant of John Ledyard and the body servant of Col. William Ledyard in the Revolutionary War.

Jordan Freeman was an actual person, a native of Old Lyme. Although he did not enlist himself, he witnessed key events of the war for independence while with Col. Ledyard. Historians estimate the number of black soldiers in this war to have been about 5,000 men, serving in militias, seagoing services, and support activities, including nearly 500 from Connecticut. Some enlisted because they felt it was their duty; others because they were offered their freedom in return for satisfactory completion of a set period of service. 

Kevin Johnson’s portrayal of Freeman is told from an emotional and exciting first-person perspective that vividly illustrates the struggle of  African-Americans during the Revolutionary War. The presentation is based on extensive research in the collections of the Connecticut State Library and the Museum of Connecticut History.

Kevin Johnson is an employee of the State Library’s History and Genealogy Unit and he has been portraying Jordan Freeman for about 15 years. In addition to portraying Jordan Freeman, he has been presenting as Pvt. William Webb, a soldier in the Civil War, for 20 years and has given more than 600 presentations. 

If your organization is interested in reserving a performance, please contact State Library staff at (860) 757-6580 for availability. Performances may not be open to the public. Please contact the sponsoring organization for more information.

Organizations who would like to videotape or broadcast a performance must submit a 'Permission to Publish' form in advance. A link to the form is provided below.