- Student-led project earns Mercer County 250th Implementation Mini-Grant
- Documentary wins award at the 15th Annual People’s Film Festival
TRENTON, N.J., July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a successful debut at the Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton during Black History Month, Foundation Academies’ Black Student Union today announced the regional tour launch of its student-led multimedia exhibition, “Men Without Shoes.” The tour, running through December, will feature public exhibitions, documentary screenings and educational collaborations across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
Over the course of the 2025-2026 school year, 30 Black high school scholars conducted original archival research to reconstruct the untold stories of 14 Black Revolutionary War soldiers who fought in the pivotal Battles of Trenton and Princeton during the American Revolution. To help bring these long-silent stories to life, scholars created documentary segments featuring historically informed, student-written AI-assisted monologues inspired by their archival research. With no photographs on record, scholars also collaborated with Philadelphia visual artist Shaheed Rucker to develop portraits inspired by JET magazine covers, imagining how the soldiers may have looked.
“Learning that Black soldiers fought in the same streets we walk every day changed how I see myself, my community in Trenton and the people around me, including my friends, family and fellow students,” said a Foundation Academies freshman who participated in the project. “Being part of this project and uncovering their stories made me realize we’re not just studying history – we’re the ones telling it.”
The documentary recently received the ‘Young People’s Visionary Award’ at the 15th Annual People’s Film Festival, earning a prestigious screening opportunity in Harlem during the festival’s 2026 season.
“I am incredibly proud of our scholars for using research, creativity and their own voices to bring these overlooked stories into the light,” said Sheria McRae, CEO of Foundation Academies. “’Men Without Shoes’ is a powerful example of what happens when students see themselves as historians, storytellers and leaders. Their work honors the courage of Black Revolutionary War soldiers while deepening pride in Trenton’s history and inspiring our broader community to learn from it.”
The Foundation Academies project also secured a $2,000 grant through Mercer County’s 250th Implementation Mini-Grant Program. Administered by the Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission, the program funds local nonprofit and historical groups supporting community-wide semiquincentennial programming.
The 2026 “Men Without Shoes” regional tour includes the following stops:
- Through July 27: 120 East State St. (Trenton, NJ). A monthlong public exhibition at the historic First Presbyterian Church & Cemetery in downtown Trenton visitor’s center.
- July 29-Aug.12: Camden City Hall Council Chambers (Camden, NJ). Foundation Academies will open RevolutionNJ’s traveling exhibit “Revolutionary Lives: Living the American Experiment Then and Now,” on Wednesday, July 29, at noon with a free public screening of the documentary and guest speakers.
- Aug. 29-Oct. 4: New Hope Arts (New Hope, PA). A public art residency featuring the artwork. Additional details to be announced for a September student-led screening event.
- Sept. 20: Princeton Battlefield Society’s (PBS) Patriot Day (Princeton, NJ). Open to the public, PBS’ 250th anniversary programming will showcase selective artwork.
- December: 1719 Trent House Museum (Trenton, NJ). A full interactive installation and presentation aligned with Trenton's annual Patriots Week events.
Museums, schools and cultural organizations interested in hosting the exhibit or screening the documentary may contact Genevieve King at gking@foundationacademy.org.
To view the full gallery of images from opening weekend at Morven Museum & Garden, click HERE (credit Daniel Helmstetter, Foundation Academies). Watch the behind-the-scenes video HERE.
About Foundation Academies
Foundation Academies is a free public charter school serving more than 1,200 scholars in grades K–12 in Trenton, New Jersey. Through rigorous academics, leadership development, and community-centered learning experiences, Foundation Academies prepares scholars to excel in learning and lead purpose-filled lives. Learn more at foundationacademies.org.
Media Contact: Lara Cohn RoseComm for Foundation Academies lcohn@rosecomm.com
