Commission on Artistic Property (of the Maryland State Archives) and the Maryland Public Art Commission (of the Maryland State Arts Council)
Maryland Monument to Honor Black Patriots who served in the Revolutionary War
- Deadline:
- Budget: Project budget: up to $500,000; Stipend to each of the four semi-finalists: $5,000
Eligibility: This opportunity is open to artists who will conceive a concept and design for the artwork. Identification of fabricators is not necessary at this stage. Semi-finalist artists will have an opportunity to identify the fabricators they intend to work with in Round 2 of the Selection process (see page below). Applications from fabrication studios and foundries without a lead artist identified will not be considered. All professional artists or artist teams living in the United States may apply. If artists apply as a team, the team should be listed on the application, specifying a team leader to receive notifications. Artists currently enrolled in a university or college degree program are not eligible to apply. Employees or appointees of the State House Trust, The Maryland State Archives, the Maryland Commission on Artistic Property, the Maryland Public Art Commission, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Maryland Department of General Services, Maryland Department of Planning and Maryland Historical Trust are not eligible to apply.
The State House Trust, the Commission on Artistic Property (of the Maryland State Archives), the Department of General Services, and the Maryland Public Art Commission (of the Maryland State Arts Council) are pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications from artists, or teams of artists (hereafter, “artists” shall mean individuals and/or teams of artists) with experience in figurative sculptural artwork to design and create a memorial to honor Black Patriots who served in the American Revolutionary War. Once identified, qualified artists will then be invited to submit proposals to be considered for commissioned work to create a monument that will be located on the grounds of the Maryland State House.
The Monument to Honor Black Patriots aims to honor and acknowledge the overlooked history of the African American community in early Maryland, the majority of whom were free Blacks. The monument will communicate that the history of African Americans in Maryland begins with the free and indentured Black passengers on the Ark and the Dove’s original 1634 landing.
Over 150 Maryland African Americans, a minority of whom were enslaved people, are known to have enlisted and served in the Revolutionary War. Their existence and contribution have been largely unknown in Maryland’s public history. With the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, and in coordination with the MD250 Commission, Maryland has the opportunity to honor these soldiers and their military service to the creation of this nation. The concept for such a memorial artwork was initially proposed by Steven X. Lee the author of ‘The Story of Mr. Thomas Carney – A Maryland Patriot of the American Revolutionary War.’ Carney was one of many Maryland African Americans, who enlisted and served in integrated units during the Revolutionary War. Just like their white counterparts, the Black Patriots traveled with an army that included free and enslaved women and children who were integral to its functioning. Their contributions have been overlooked in historical narratives. Their legacy is but one of the omitted chapters in the heritage of early Maryland’s extensive Black community.
The purpose of the sculpture is to honor these unsung Patriots who were members of the Continental Army community and to expand public understanding of the people who contributed to the fight for American independence. This monument should celebrate the contributions of Maryland’s free Black population to our State and Country through figurative depictions and the selected artist’s interpretation.