Calendar photo caption: Members of Company E, 4th U.S. Colored Infantry, at Fort Lincoln in Washington, D.C., circa 1863. (William Morris Smith/Library of Congress)
During the Civil War, more than 200,000 Black soldiers fought for the Union in more than 400 engagements, including 40 major battles such as Port Hudson, Milliken's Bend, and Fort Wagner. Some 300,000 Black women and men also made important contributions as civilians by gathering military intelligence, treating wounded soldiers, producing wartime provisions, and providing essential services.
Many historians have concluded that without the service of Black men and women, the Union would not have won the war and the institution of slavery would not have been overthrown.
Nevertheless, Black Union soldiers regularly faced discrimination from white military personnel. Black men were barred from joining the Union ranks until 1862. They served in segregated units and, until the last year of the war, received less pay, inadequate equipment, and substandard medical care compared to white soldiers.
The Confederate military enslaved and executed captured Black troops. At Fort Pillow, Tennessee, in April 1864, Confederates massacred nearly 200 Black soldiers who had surrendered. The Fort Pillow Massacre is one of many well-documented atrocities committed against Black soldiers by Confederates.
After the war, Black soldiers received significantly less recognition for their heroism than their white counterparts. Black soldiers received service awards such as the Medal of Honor at far lower rates than white soldiers. Black veterans also were largely sidelined from efforts to preserve Civil War battlefields, leading to neglect of the sites and the stories associated with the missions of Black troops.
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