Lincoln, Douglass and the U.S. Colored Troops in Action

Under the terms of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Union Army began recruiting so-called “colored” troops for the first time—and the mere fact that they donned military uniforms, bore arms and fought in battle revolutionized the status of African-Americans, even as it stirred intolerance in many Northern cities. This panel will explore the contributions, sacrifices and challenges faced by the Union’s extraordinary black fighting force, including the drama of Fort Wagner and the national shame of unequal pay.