Directors Stacey Holman and Maya Tepler are releasing a documentary that combines historical research with generative AI technology. According to Deadline Hollywood, their film Declarations: Black Americans & The Revolutionary War uses AI to give voice to historical figures whose records are fragmentary.
With America's 250th anniversary approaching, the filmmakers saw an opportunity to use modern technology to reconstruct stories from archives and historical records. Their stated goal is to "give our historical subjects agency" by deploying GenAI in service of untold chapters of the nation's past.
The documentary premieres June 29. The filmmakers are using AI to amplify historical narratives rather than replace archival sources, an approach they describe as a new method for historical storytelling.
As America reassesses its foundational moments, Holman and Tepler are asking whether technology can restore the voices of people who experienced the Revolutionary War but were systematically excluded from the historical record. The film is centered on Black Americans whose contributions to that period remain largely unknown.
The documentary is set to premiere June 29.
