Free at Last
By Ross J. Kelbaugh In the 1860 U.S. Census, Louisiana enumerated 331,726 Black and mulatto enslaved persons and 18,647 free colored individuals. With the occupation of the state by the
Tag: black
Army Life: An essay in ambrotypes and tintypes
By David B. Holcomb, with images from the author’s collection The Sentries Around 8 a.m. following reveille, breakfast call, and sick call came the call for Guard Mounting. The first
Investigating the Iconic Portraits of a USCT Drummer Boy
By Kurt Luther The pair of portraits of an African American young man—one version in tattered clothes and another in the uniform of a Union drummer boy—is among the most
Memento of a Senseless Death: The portrait of a surgeon recalls a wartime murder
By Daniel R. Glenn A loud knock jolted Henry McCarthy from sleep at his home in a black community in New Bern, N.C., on the night of April 20, 1864.
Fighting for Freedom: Portraits of soldiers and other Civil War participants
No single group experienced such a dramatic change in fortunes during the Civil War than men of color. In 1861, the vast majority were held in bondage. Those who gained
“Conquer We Must, For Our Cause Is Just”
By Kathleen Heyworth White attitudes towards African Americans varied greatly throughout the Union army during the Civil War, even within regiments. Such was the case in the 7th Illinois Infantry.
Courage at New Market Heights
Brave. Aggressive. Fearless. Uncompromising. A writer once used these words to describe Milton Holland – leadership qualities that came into play when he and his regiment, the 5th U.S. Colored