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James Forten may be one of the most important Black leaders you’ve never heard of.

The Philadelphian — and his family — were influential from the Revolutionary War to the abolitionist movement, as well as in business. In 1833, they helped start the American Anti-Slavery Society and the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, and also took an active role in defending the union cause during the Civil War and later, voting rights, and civil liberties for African Americans.

Now, as we celebrate Black History Month, the illustrious family is the subject of a new special exhibition Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia, at the Museum of the American Revolution that will run through November.

“Many people will recognize aspects of their own families: parents working for a better life for their children, families supporting each other when the world seems to be in chaos, communities coming together around shared values,” said Rebecca Franco, the museum’s manager of Family Programs.

She notes there are many interactive opportunities — dressing like a sailor as you learn about James Forten’s life aboard a privateer ship, for example, or listening to the music the Fortens would have played. There is a printed Family Guide with activities for all ages.

“This exhibit also provides an important opportunity to learn about the wide range of people who were involved in the founding of our nation, including free and enslaved people of African descent. We believe that a more inclusive story of America’s founding is a more accurate story,” Franco added.

Across the country, there are new exhibits highlighting the contributions of African Americans to our nation’s history and culture.

If you are in Chicago, there’s The Negro Motorist Green Book exhibit at the Illinois Holocaust Museum (through April 23 ). The exhibit shares the history of "The Green Book," the annual travel guide created in 1936 that provided African-American travelers with information on businesses that welcomed Black travelers during the Jim Crow era and literally became the bible of Black travel for more than 30 years.

Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry’s (MOHAI) new exhibit, From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers, explores the history of Black architects who from the 1800s designed iconic landmarks and paved the way for future generations. Families will appreciate the interactives, including a touch table of building materials and the chance to design a floor plan.

The Boca Raton Museum of Art is the first stop on the national tour of Whitfield Lovell: Passages, the largest exhibit of Lovell’s work focusing on lost African-American history.

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