Background & Design Process
Commissioning the Monument
In May 2023, Steven Xavier Lee submitted a proposal to the State House Trust for the development of a monument to honor "the unsung African American patriots of the Revolutionary War." Mr. Lee advocated for a "three dimensional acknowledgement of Maryland Black soldiers who...responded to Maryland's call to arms, gave up their blood and lives for all of us to have this land."
Led by then-Speaker of the House of Delegates Adrienne Jones, the State House Trust approved the development of "A Memorial to Honor Black Patriots who served in the American Revolutionary War" in July 2023. The capital project, funded over two fiscal years, provided $1,000,000 for the development, fabrication, and installation of the monument, to be completed in 2026, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
In August 2024, a nine-member Monument Advisory Committee (MAC) was convened, composed of members representing the executive and legislative branches of government and military, and cultural and heritage professionals from the public and private sectors. A "National Call to Artists," released in June 2024, yielded 51 responses, each of which was reviewed and scored by the MAC. Further review and discussion of the top 16 ultimately resulted in four semi-finalists. These four semi-finalists presented their concept for the monument in person at the Maryland State Archives on Friday, January 3, 2025. Each artist presented a proposal to the MAC which included their public art experience, artwork concept, approach to engaging the community, budget, production timeline, and maintenance plan.
Following a thorough discussion, a motion was made to award Branly Cadet the commission based on the alignment of the artwork proposal to the design criteria and project goals as outlined in Call to Artists. The MAC unanimously approved and officially recommended Mr. Cadet to the State House Trust.
The Black Patriot Monument has been jointly managed, on behalf of the State House Trust, by the Department of General Services; Maryland State Arts Council (Maryland Commission on Public Art) and the Maryland Commission on Artistic Property (Maryland State Archives)
The monument is part of the state-owned art collection and will be cared for in perpetuity on behalf of the people of Maryland by the Commission on Artistic Property.
The State House Trust was created in 1969 to oversee the area inside State Circle in Annapolis, including the State House. This oversight extends to the use of buildings and grounds and any exhibits on display there. The Trust supervises all improvements, alterations, additions, landscaping, and repairs within that area and including Lawyers' Mall.
Maryland Commission on Public Art guides Maryland's public art program, helping bring sculptures, murals and other works of art to public spaces and communities across the state. Created in 2005, the Commission works with the Maryland State Arts Council to support public art that enhances Maryland's communities and cultural landscape.
The Maryland Commission on Artistic Property is the official custodian of all valuable paintings and other decorative arts owned by or loaned to the state. Established in 1969, the Commission provides for the acquisition, location, proper care, custody, restoration, display, interpretation, and preservation of the nearly 4,000 works that comprise the state-owned art collection.
Monument Unveiling
The Pursuit of Transcendent Liberty was unveiled on November 1, 2026, a date chosen to celebrate not only 250 years of American history, but also the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Maryland. While President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, it only abolished slavery in all states which rebelled against the Union. Maryland, a slave state, did not secede from the United States. Therefore, the Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to Maryland. It was not until November 1, 1864, that Maryland officially abolished slavery through a new state constitution. You can view the event's program here.