Burns Reveals 20,000 African Americans Fought in Revolution, Most for British
"Around 20,000 African-Americans fought in the American Revolution, 15 for the British and five for the Americans."
About this episode
Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns joins The Rest Is History podcast to discuss his latest series on the American Revolution, released during the conflict's 250th anniversary. Burns argues land—specifically westward expansion beyond British-imposed Appalachian boundaries—was the primary driver of colonial separatism, more than taxation. He reveals that approximately 20,000 African Americans fought in the war, with three-quarters siding with the British who offered freedom, and emphasizes that the Declaration of Independence's egalitarian language immediately activated marginalized groups despite founders' hypocrisy. Burns contends the revolution would have failed without French intervention after Saratoga, and that George Washington's voluntary surrender of power was uniquely essential to establishing democratic norms. He acknowledges Washington owned 577 enslaved people, calling this an inexcusable contradiction. The filmmaker defends the revolution's global significance as the first tangible expression of Enlightenment ideals, while host Dominic Sandbrook challenges whether American exceptionalism holds given Canada and Australia achieved comparable freedom without violent separation. Burns describes the 'Ken Burns effect'—the documentary technique of panning and zooming on still photographs—as emerging from his friendship with Steve Jobs, who named the iMovie feature without permission in 2003. The episode explores how both British and American narratives minimize inconvenient aspects: Britain largely ignores the war in education, while Americans downplay French military contributions and Washington's tactical battlefield losses.
Key takeaways
- Ken Burns states George Washington owned 577 enslaved people and calls this an inexcusable contradiction that cannot be squared with his legacy.
- Burns argues land hunger and westward expansion beyond the 1763 Proclamation Line were more fundamental causes of revolution than taxation.
- Approximately 20,000 African Americans fought in the Revolutionary War, with 15,000 siding with the British versus 5,000 with the Americans seeking freedom.
- The filmmaker insists America would not exist without George Washington specifically, crediting his voluntary resignation of military and political power.
- Burns contends the American Revolution would have failed without French military intervention following the British surrender at Saratoga in 1777.
- The Declaration of Independence immediately activated women, enslaved people, and Native Americans to claim its egalitarian promises despite founders' intentions.
- Steve Jobs named the iMovie pan-and-zoom feature the 'Ken Burns effect' in 2003 without initially seeking permission, leading to an hourlong private conversation.