The Witness to the Revolution exhibition represents a groundbreaking collaboration between the North Carolina Museum of History and UNC-Chapel Hill's Wilson Library, located at 200 South Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, delivering an unprecedented look at how North Carolina shaped America's founding. Running now through Dec. 4, this special exhibition marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and invites visitors to explore the people, ideas, and defining moments that emerged right here in North Carolina during the Revolutionary era.
“We hope visitors approach this anniversary with curiosity," said Alexa Scattaregia, Marketing Specialist for the North Carolina Museum of History. "Through artifacts, documents, and firsthand accounts, we hope people connect with the individuals behind these stories and see how the choices made 250 years ago continue to influence our lives today."
What sets this exhibition apart is its commitment to telling the complete story of the American Revolution. Rather than focusing solely on famous military leaders and battles, Witness to the Revolution purposefully brings forward diverse perspectives and examines how the war shaped and affected women, Black and enslaved Americans, and Indigenous nations caught in the crossfire. The exhibition reveals how the Revolution swept through North Carolina, fracturing local communities as neighbors faced impossible choices between American independence and loyalty to the British Crown.
Scattaregia said one of the museum's goals is to balance celebration with historical complexity. "The American Revolution was a transformative moment, but people experienced it in very different ways," she explained. "Museums have a responsibility to present history thoughtfully and accurately while acknowledging multiple perspectives."
With more than 50 carefully curated items from both the museum's preserved physical collections and the library's archival treasures, visitors encounter authentic artifacts that transport them back to this defining moment in American history.
From the Edenton Tea Party Caddy, representing one of the earliest organized political actions by women in American history, to Joel Lane's hand-carved powder horn and Benjamin Smith's bounty warrant documenting land dispossessed from the Chickasaw people, each artifact tells a compelling story about the complexity and consequences of revolution.
According to Scattaregia, the objects themselves are what make history tangible. "Artifacts help make history personal," she said. "Every object in our collection is tied to a real person and a real story. Whether it's a letter, a piece of clothing, or an everyday household item, artifacts help visitors see themselves in the past."
UNC-Chapel Hill's Wilson Library serves as the primary venue for this extraordinary exhibition, offering visitors a carefully designed journey through Revolutionary-era North Carolina. The location brings an academic dimension to the Witness to the Revolution exhibition through its extensive archival collections. The partnership between the museum and the library creates a unique opportunity to see how scholarly research and public history work together to deepen our understanding of North Carolina's Revolutionary past.
The library's archival treasures complement the museum's physical artifacts by providing documentary evidence of how ordinary North Carolinians experienced and recorded the tumultuous Revolutionary period. These documents reveal the voices of people who lived through these world-changing events, offering perspectives that traditional military histories often overlook. The collaboration demonstrates how universities and museums can work together to make historical scholarship accessible and engaging for broader audiences.
As you move through the exhibition space, you'll encounter a diverse array of artifacts that bring the Revolutionary period to life. Staff-favorite items include Martha Ryan's Cipher Book, a handwritten mathematical exercise book from circa 1781 that provides a rare glimpse into a young woman's education during wartime in Perquimans County.
The gallery also features well-preserved Revolutionary-era military objects, weaponry, and reconstructed uniforms that help visitors understand the material reality of 18th-century warfare.
One of the exhibition's most powerful elements is the Benjamin Smith Bounty Warrant, which awarded Continental Army Colonel Benjamin Smith 5,000 acres of land in what is now Tennessee, land dispossessed from the Chickasaw people. Smith later donated this land to create the very first gift to UNC's endowment, illustrating the complex legacy of the Revolution and its lasting impact on education, land, and Indigenous communities.
Scattaregia said the museum selected artifacts and documents that reveal how ordinary North Carolinians experienced the Revolution because "those personal stories are often what resonate most with visitors, and they help connect local experiences to the larger story of the nation's founding.” The museum's thoughtful curation ensures that visitors encounter these complicated histories with the context and nuance they deserve.
Although the North Carolina Museum of History's main building remains closed for renovation, the institution continues to connect audiences with the state's past through exhibitions, educational programming, partnerships, and digital initiatives celebrating America's 250th anniversary. For Scattaregia, Witnesses to the Revolution is about more than commemorating history. It's about encouraging people to see themselves within it.
"If visitors leave with a deeper understanding of the past and a greater appreciation for the people who helped shape North Carolina and the nation, we'll consider that a success," she said.
For more information on this exhibit and other events and programs, visit: https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/witnesses.
(Photo: The Witness to the Revolution exhibit at UNC-Chapel Hill's Wilson Library helps to tell the story of the Revolution in North Carolina, including the Fayetteville area. Photo by Johnny Anderson, UNC-Chapel Hill)