3 10 134 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/d4dbce60899b4fc20122a8ae82ebe46a.JPG 65361dae76cb37f23fdd85cd69a6c29e https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/560cfd3225954cb3b87e93efe88545de.JPG 08a4033ec882f80fbfa5450f7e00768e https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/5289baabf728d2eb3e3988b18fbd9bff.JPG 9be4f3542847d539d2ac8c4544a84f63 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/6258a1efa74542c3911d9a274a0e49c8.JPG f9651c5fc8b85e73f5ec5afcc4a6218e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Memorial to the 2nd Regiment Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops (Fort Myers, Florida) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Florida--Fort Myers Public art Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The over life-sized work depicts a sergeant in the United States Colored Troops 2nd Regiment standing in front of an open gate within a wall. The soldier is framed by two granite plaques mounted on each wall. The plaque on the left is a description of the important contribution of the 2nd Regiment during the Civil War. The plaque on the right contains a poem, written by D.J. Wilkins. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkins, D. J., 1945-2021 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 11, 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fort Myers Beautification Advisory Board; City of Fort Myers, Florida Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Fort Myers, 2200 Second Street, Fort Myers, Florida, 33901, United States Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Centennial Park, 2000 W First St, Fort Myers, FL 33901, United States Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Clayton Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on left plaque: This Memorial is dedicated to The 2nd Regiment Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops and Companies D and I which served at The Battle of Fort Myers. On July 20, 1861, U.S. Army Officer Major French wrote to U.S. Naval Officer McKean, "I have information that a schooner fitted out as a slaver is in the Caloosahatchee River. Her appointments, I am told, are full...." On February 20, 1865, Confederates of the 1st Battalion, Florida Special Cavalry attacked Fort Myers. The attack erupted into a cannon duel with the 2nd USCT in charge of artillery. The New York Times reported: "The colored soldiers [at Fort Myers] were in the thick of the fight. Unconscious of danger,their constant cry was to 'get at them'...." At nightfall, the Confederate force withdrew. A Confederate participant later recalled: "It was seen that nothing was accomplished." The Battle of Fort Myers marked the final action of the 2nd USCT in South Florida. Companies D and I left Fort Myers in March of 1865. Fort Myers was then decommissioned. USCT Troops freed and enlisted over 1,000 of the enslaved in Florida during the Civil War." Inscription on right plaque: In Freedom Cover Me The war between the states it's called to make us all one people one man's bullet is another man's death in this God makes us equal. The men who died in the fight today all knew this was the start of some new age yet undefined of which we're all a part. This Union Flag I stand beneath is what's protecting me from a life of moral death a life in slavery. When muskets fire if I should fall in freedom cover me with these stars from this flag like leaves from God's great tree. - Clayton Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Granite; Concrete Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Calligan, Tara. "An About-Face: A Monument Honoring Black Union Soldiers is Re-Turned to Face Centennial Park in Downtown Fort Myers." WGCU PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida, July 31, 2022. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://www.wgcu.org/2022-07-29/about-face-a-monument-honoring-black-union-soldiers-turns-towards-centennial-park. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater bronze Civil War concrete figurative granite inscription poetry https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/2294ea039d60a70659dcbef75a84579e.jpg 6505b2df45ad3ed5b33a82d20bd12c72 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/8e5b36572bf021d60140d140d1ffb9d9.jpg bfcc76e7eadc3ddf2f1cc4d41ef553dd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 108 in. (274.32 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource African American Monument (Vicksburg, Mississippi) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Mississippi--Vicksburg United States Colored Troops United States--Mississippi--Vicksburg National Military Park Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Located at the Vicksburg National Military Park, the monument depicts three bronze figures, two United States Colored Troops soldiers and a shirtless civilian field hand wearing suspenders, trousers, and a straw hat. The field hand and one of the soldiers support a second soldier, who has been wounded in the Vicksburg Campaign. The USCT soldiers played a key role in the Union victory at Milken's Bend on June 7, 1863. The statue rests on a black granite base inscribed with a text that honors their service. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sessums, J. Kim, 1958- Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=109350" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Historical Marker Database</a> and the National Park Service Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 14, 2004 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource State of Mississippi; City of Vicksburg Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource National Parks Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20240, United States Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Vicksburg National Military Park, 3201 Clay St, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 39183, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on base: Commemorating the service of the 1st and 3rd Mississippi Infantry Regiments, African descent and all Mississippians of African descent who participated in the Vicksburg Campaign. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 108 in. (274.32 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Black African granite Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. National Park Service. "African American Monument." Vicksburg National Military Park. Brochure. Accessed March 2, 2026. https://www.npshistory.com/publications/vick/brochures/african-american-monument.pdf. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater black granite bronze Civil War figurative inscription https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/3d532efa0f5e97a9ab8f2e0793030342.jpg eae69e31eb6132b4862af76d0d64c0f4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Soldiers' Memorial (Jefferson City, Missouri) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Lincoln University Missouri--Jefferson City Public art Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The monument depicts the members of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantry who, in 1866, founded Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. The work includes two soldiers and Captain Foster, their white commander, who all are shown atop a pedestal. Behind this main group, another USCT soldier on top of the pedestal assists another standing bronze figure to ascend the pedestal. On the base of the pedestal is a bas-relief of three marching soldiers. The commemorative work also includes two bronze soldiers, wearing knapsacks and bed rolls and whose facial expressions appear weary, walking up the lawn toward the front of the monument.  Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dwight, Ed, 1933- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 2, 2007 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Christner, Inc. (landscape architects); United HRB General Contractors, Inc.; Board of Curators; Lincoln University Foundation Board, Inc.; David B. Henson (17th President of Lincoln University) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Lincoln University, 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65101, United States Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65101, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on base: Dedicated to the Officers and Soldiers of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries. Inscription on granite plaza: Courage--Sacrifice--Equality Donor bricks Bronze plaque on back of monument: Soldiers Memorial Plaza Dedicated May 2, 2007 President of the University Dr. Carolyn R. Hahoney Board of Curators Greg S. Gaffke, President Rodney J. Boyd, Vice President Marvin O. Teen, Jr., Secretary Dana T. Cutler, Treasurer Cynthia O. Blosser, Member Ralph M. Caro, Member Iris G. Ferguson, Member Gurnie C. Gunter, Member John M. Parker, Member Daniel S. Britts, Student Representatives Bronze plaque on back of monument: Ed Dwight, Sculptor Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Granite Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Arenson, Adam. "Fighting for the Legacy of Lincoln." New York Times, December 13, 2013. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://archive.nytimes.com/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/fighting-for-the-legacy-of-lincoln/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://www.visitjeffersoncity.com/listing/soldiers-memorial-plaza-at-lincoln-university/76/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> bas-relief bronze Civil War figurative granite inscription https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/bfcb9976c9c0761669377d142582942e.jpeg 4d564b214d93252107816cabb6b9c16a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 132 x 168 in. (335.28 x 426.72 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Infantry Regiment (Boston, Massachusetts) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Massachusetts--Boston Public art Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Name) Shaw, Robert Gould, 1837-1863 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The memorial commemorates Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and members of the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the first African American regiment to be formed in the North during the American Civil War. Shaw, the regiment’s leader, is shown on horseback in control of his horse and staring forward. Cast in bas relief, three rows of Black infantrymen of various ages stride forward in unison behind him. This scene depicts the Massachusetts 54th Regiment parade march down Beacon Street in Boston on May 28, 1863, as they left the city for Beaufort, South Carolina. On July 18, 1863, nearly 250 of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment were killed, wounded, or captured at the Battle of Fort Wagner located on Morris Island in Charleston Harbor including the death of Shaw. Sargeant William H. Carney received a Medal of Honor for his courageous actions during the fight, the first African American to receive the medal. The Massachusetts 54th Regiment and the Battle of Fort Wagner were the subject of the epic Civil War film, Glory (1989). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 1848-1907 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 31, 1897 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource McKim, Mead & White (architectural pedestal); Shaw Family; Governor John Andrew; 1865 Memorial Committe: Charles Sumner, Rev. Leonard Grimes, Joshua Bowen Smith, Edward Atkinson, Robert E. Apthorp, Francis W. Bird, Charles W. Slack, Henry P. Kidder, Charles R. Codman, Henry W. Longfellow, James L. Little, William L. Clapp Jr., Charles Beck, William G. Weld, Royal E. Robbins, Edward W. Kingsley, George B. Loring, Alanson W. Beard, Solomon Stebbins, and Robert K. Darrah; 1876 Memorial Committee: Edward Atkinson, John Murray Forbes, Henry Lee Jr., and Martin P. Kennard Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20240, United States Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston Common, Beacon and Park Streets, Boston, Massachusetts, 02133, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on the relief: Omnia Relinquit Servare Rempublicam [He relinquished everything to save/preserve the Republic] Inscription on the pedestal: Robert Gould Shaw Colonel of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts  Born in Boston 10 October MDCCCXXXVII Killed While Leading the Assault on Fort Wagner South Carolina 18 July MDCCCLXIII Right in the van, on the red rampart's slippery swell With heart that beat a charge he fell Foeward as fits a man; but the high soul burns on to light men's feet where death for noble ends makes dying sweet. [lines from James Russell Lowell's poem "Memoriae Positum"] Inscription on granite back between the two fasces: To the Fifty-Fourth of Massachusetts Regiment Infantry The White Officers taking life and honor in their hands cast in their lot with men of a despised race unproven in war and risked death as inciters of servile insurrection if taken prisoners besides encountering all the common perils of camp march and battle. The Black rank and file volunteered when disaster clouded the Union Cause. Served without pay for eighteen months till given that of white troops. Faced threatened enslavement if captured. We're brave in action. Patient under heavy and dangerous labors. And cheerful amid hardships and privations. Together they gave to the nation and the world undying proof that Americans of African descent possess the pride, courage and devotion of the patriot soldier. One hundred and eighty thousand such Americans enlisted under the Union Flag in MDCCCLXIII-MDCCCLXV. [Charles W. Eliot, President, Harvard University] Inscriptions on the back above the five laurel wreaths: Cabot Jackson Russel, Captain • William Harris Simpkins, Captain • Edward Lewis Stevens, 1st Lieutenant • David Reid, 1st Lieutenant • Frederick Hedge Webster, 2nd Lieutenant [Names of the five officers killed from the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts} Inscription on back below the laurel wreaths: I know not my commander where in all human history to any given thousand men in arms there has been committed a work at once so proud, so precious, so full of hope and glory as the work committed to you. [Governor John Andrew, extract from speech given at the depart of the Fifty-Fourth Massachuestts Regiment in Boston 1863] Inscription on brick base at back: The Memory of the Just is Blessed Henry Albert • Thomas R. Ampey • Thomas Bowman • William Brady • Abraham Brown • James H. Buchanan • Henry F. Burghardt • Elisha Burkett • Jason Champin • Andrew Clark • Lewis Clark • Henry Craig • Albert Evans • William S. Everson • Samuel Ford • Richard M. Foster • Charles S. Gamrell • Lewis C. Green • John Hall • William Henry Harrison II • Edward Hines • Benjamin Hogan • Charles M. Holloway • George Jackson • James P. Johnson • John H. Johnson • Daniel A. Kelley • Henry King • Cyrus Krunkleton • Augustus Lewis • Thomas Lloyd • William Lloyd • Lewis J. Locard • Francis Lowe • Robert McJohnson • John Miller • James H. Mills • William H. Morris • Charles E. Nelson • Stephen Newton • Harrison Pierce • Cornelius Price • Thomas Peter Riggs • David R. Roper • Anthony Schenck • Thomas Sheldon • William J. Smith • Samuel Sufshay • John Tanner • William Thomas • Charles Van Allen • George Vanderpool • Cornelius Watson • Edward Williams • Franklin Willis • Joseph D. Wilson • William Wilson • John W. Winslow —Inscribed MCMLXXXII [Names of those soldiers from the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts Regiment who died during the assault on Fort Wagner. Names added in 1982.] Extent The size or duration of the resource. 132 x 168 in. (335.28 x 426.72 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Milford pink granite Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Greenough, Sarah and Nancy Anderson. Tell It With Pride: The 54th Massachusetts Regiment and Augusts Saint-Gaudens' Shaw Memorial. Yale University Press, 2013. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Blight, David W. "The Shaw Memorial in the Landscape of Civil War Memory." In Hope & Glory: Essays on the Legacy of the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts Regiment, eds. Martin H. Blatt, Thomas J. Brown, and Donald Yacovone, 79-93. University of Massachusetts Press, 2001. Grover, Kathryn. To Heal the Wounded Nation's Life: African Americans and the Robert Gould Shaw/54th Regiment Memorial. Special History Study, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park. National Park Service, 2021. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/668698. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: National Park Service Has Version A related resource that is a version, edition, or adaptation of the described resource. A gold patinated plaster cast (1900) is on view at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, on loan from the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire. A bronze cast (1997) is on display at the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire. bas-relief bronze Civil War figurative granite inscription marble https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/4141b44a2df2509c538f3be1c2713f58.jpg 065c72063c66816d07961c107c409324 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/69d33b60765894075203e5d9fe779f19.jpg 1ff5950ea22e283b91222741b2f177f3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource In Memory of More Than 400 Prominent United States Colored Troops from Kent County (Chestertown, Maryland) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Maryland--Chestertown Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The black granite obelisk is dedicated to the memory of more than 400 United States Colored Troops from Kent County, Maryland, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War. In front of the obelisk is a stone bench with an additional engraving. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 31, 1999 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource American Legion Parker-White Post 143 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Memorial Park, High Street at North Cross Street, Chestertown, Maryland, 21620, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on obelisk: In Memory of more than 400 prominent United States Colored Troops from Kent County, Maryland who bravely displayed extraordinary acts of heroism as they faithfully served their country with courage & honor in an attempt to gain freedom & equality in their preservation of the Union during the Civil War (1861-1865). Like an eagle that flies in the sky above, always protecting the land we love. Monument erected by American Legion Parker-White Post 143 Chestertown, Maryland Inscription on the base of the bench in front of the monument: In Memory of Kent County Colored Volunteers Who Served in the Civil War, 1861-1865 Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. HMdb.org. "In Memory of More Than 400 Prominent United States Colored Troops from Kent County." Historical Marker Database. Accessed January 21, 2019. https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=5414. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Black granite Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=5414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Historical Marker Database</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Chestertown, 118 North Cross Street, Chestertown, Maryland, 21620, United States black granite Civil War inscription obelisk https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/8e7ee1e2c65ce7c49ba8004800293d24.jpg f388f9163ef52cc41b0e6f4af0db2af4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Statue (Butler, Missouri) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Missouri--Butler Public art Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The monument depicts a soldier from the First Kansas Colored Infantry during the Battle of Island Mound, which took place on October 28 and 29, 1862. The soldier is shown charging forward, his left foot stepping ahead. His facial expression is grave and tense, with deeply furrowed brows and tightly clenched lips. He grips the barrel of his rifled musket with his left hand and holds the butt with his right. The soldier wears the standard Union army uniform: a forage cap, a light buttoned coat, trousers, and boots. A leather shoulder strap crosses his chest, prominently featuring a circular brass eagle plate prominently at its center. The sculpture stands atop a white granite trapezoidal plinth and base. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Randell, Joel Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 12, 2008 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The Amen Society Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Bates County Courthouse, 1 North Delaware Street, Butler, Missouri, 64730, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on the base: First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry The 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry fought and won the Battle of Island Mound, also known as The Battle at Fort Toothman on October 28 & 29, 1862 in Charlotte Township approx. 7.5 miles southwest of Butler. It is said to have been the only battle fought on Bates County soil, in which regular U.S. troops were involved. The First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry was the first black unit to fight in the Civil War. Reportedly Southern rebels outnumbered the black troops five to one, attacked the fort in fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued. Of the Kansas Infantry's involvement it was written, 'They Fought Like Tigers.' First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry They Fought Like Tigers Founded & Organized by The Amen Society Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMNJHT_First_Kansas_Colored_Volunteer_Infantry_Monument_Butler_Missouri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Waymarking</a> Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Butler Missouri, 22 West Ohio, Butler, Missouri, 64730, United States bronze Civil War figurative granite inscription https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/694c3f9bb6adb28056360aa5529a9a6d.jpg f62c0b945df2ad6ace3df80a9d6bf072 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Colored Union Soldiers Monument (Hertford, North Carolina) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History North Carolina--Hertford United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The memorial consists of obelisk resting on a square plinth. It is engraved with text on two sides and is accompanied by a North Carolina Civil War Trails marker and informational placard. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1910 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource First Baptist Church; United Daughters of Union Veterans Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Academy Green, King and Hyde Park Streets, Hertford, North Carolina, 27944, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on the front: In Memory Of the Colored Union Soldiers Who Faught in the War of 1861-1865 Inscription on the rear: Erected by the United Daughters of Veterans Informational placard, North Carolina Civil War Trails: News of the bombardment of Fort Sumter inspired many African American men to enlist in the U.S. armed forces, but federal law prohibited their service. Frederick Douglass and other black leaders urged changes to allow black enlistments. By mid-1862, as the numbers of white volunteers diminished, the needs of the U.S. Army grew, and the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation became imminent, more voices called for black recruitment. The Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863, formally authorized African American military service. By the end of the war, about 180,000 blacks – including some from Perquimans County – had borne arms in the U.S. Army (almost 10 percent of total enlistments) and about 19,000 had served in the U.S. Navy. To remember the county’s African American Union soldiers, women of the black community, many of them the wives and widows of those men, erected one of the few such monuments in the nation on Academy Green in 1910. Coordinated by First Baptist Church and the United Daughters of Union Veterans, the monument is inscribed “In Memory of the Colored Union Soldiers Who Fought in the War of 1861-1865.” Academy Green was the location of the county’s first black school, library, and church (present-day First Baptist Church), which freed-men formed in a bush shelter in 1866. The congregation later built a church across the street. They Answered the Call Three of the men whom this monument commemorates are buried in Perquimans County. Sgt. John Gordon served in Co. A 1st U.S.C.T., organized in Washington, D.C., in May-June 1863. The regiment fought in Virginia (Wilson’s Wharf, The Crater, New Market Heights) and North Carolina (Fort Fisher). It also participated in Gen. Edward A. Wild’s eastern N.C. expedition in Dec. 1863 and burned a Confederate camp near Hertford. It mustered out on Sept. 29, 1865. Pvt. John Sharp enlisted in Co. B. 37th U.S.C.T. at age 19 on Jan. 21, 1864, in Plymouth, N.C. His regiment fought at New Market Heights and Fort Fisher and mustered out on Feb. 11, 1867. Pvt. Arthur Mixon served in Co. G, 40th U.S.C.T., organized in Aug. 1864 in Tennessee, where it guarded railroads and bridges. It mustered out in Oct. 1865. Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. "Colored Union Soldiers Monument, Hertford." Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina. Accessed January 22, 2019. https://docsouth.unc.edu/commland/monument/117/. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Granite Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="http://ncblackheritagetour.com/historic_site/colored-union-soldiers-monument/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African American Experience</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Town of Hertford North Carolina, 114 West Grubb Street, Hertford, North Carolina, 27944, United States Civil War granite inscription obelisk https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/b22e80b6d990d15a15e756e2ddc19160.JPG 17ad5a3a41e8aaa30e5041b5319f1b27 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/73476e653e703c6172b45686eb68dcd8.JPG f5005b92a659f1d4b916efdb4d0c2a39 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/1d0776149861e8e92b56d81ad66140f9.JPG 83c43f171b4f23b7874f30ff1cd1a945 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/059eed7b5d4e9d26ae42c44356c6bff8.JPG fe3063224e1a5aa991efc1dc55abba15 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/2ef9f07b66ce6d92b070645700a9faa3.JPG e22be2b88ea9495ba0e9405857ed4ea4 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/6035294d1c8595df0dd744e6f920b5d4.JPG 6a4d86e6253a6b446b33206a8c4d9dd9 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/76e0de8bef2e574b8c427c7cac4be599.JPG 31b81c47f564e025ef8b04d23fca00fd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 108 in. (274.32 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops National Monument (Madison, Tennessee) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Cemeteries--Tennessee Tennessee--Madison United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The life-sized bronze statue of a single Black soldier honors the contributions of the over 20,000 African American men from Tennessee who served in the Union Army. Standing among rows of white headstones, the soldier gazes solemnly into the distance. He wears Union military attire—complete with forage cap, collared coat, belt, trousers, and boots—and grips the barrel of his rifled musket, its butt resting on the ground beside his right foot. A cartridge box hangs at his right hip, its leather shoulder strap slung across his chest, the brass circular eagle plate prominently displayed in the center. A socket bayonet hangs from his belt, and a canteen, cup, and satchel are slung over his back. The statue rests on a square white stone pedestal, with a bronze plaque bearing an inscription. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Butler, Roy W. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 18, 2006 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource African American Cultural Alliance of Nashville United; Association for Black Veterans; Creative Artists of Tennessee Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Nashville National Cemetery, 1420 Gallatin Pike South, Madison, Tennessee, 37115, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Bronze plaque on base of statue: In Memory of the 20,133 Who Served As United States Colored Troops In the Union Army Dedicated 2003 Sculptor: Roy W. Butler Model: William C. Radcliffe Presented by: The African American Cultural Alliance United Association for Black Veterans Creative Artists of Tennessee Extent The size or duration of the resource. 108 in. (274.32 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; White granite Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource National Cemetery Administration, U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, United States bronze Civil War figurative granite https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/ab0b45d719441db1ceefdcaad737dbd7.jpg 3afb8822f98079b1ddd7eb0c14c3083d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource West Point Monument (Norfolk, Virginia) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Cemeteries--Virginia United States Colored Troops Virginia--Norfolk Subject (Name) Carney, William Harvey, 1840-1908 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Atop a large square column of limestone, the figure of the Norfolk native Sergeant William H. Carney of the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry Regiment is depicted, dressed in his military uniform. Carney is the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions at the Battle of Fort Wagner in South Carolina. The base of the monument, built as a tribute to African American veterans of the Civil War and Spanish American War, contains a number of bronze and marble plaques. The concrete and granite base were installed in 1906; the statue of Sgt. William H. Carney Jr. was installed and dedicated in 1920. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1920 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Norfolk Memorial Assocation; James E. Fuller Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Elmwod Cemetery, 238 E. Princess Anne Road, Norfolk, Virginia, 23510, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. The top bronze plaque on north face of the monument: A shield with a relief of a Maltese Cross placed over crossed rifles and an eagle with outstretched wings with the dates 1861 - 1865 and 1920. The bottom square bronze plaque on north face of the monument: Erected by the Norfolk Memorial Association to the Memory of our Heroes 1861-1865 Left marble plaques on the east face: Langston Camp No. 1 -- United Spanish War Vets Middle marble plaque on east face: The Whole of Section No. 20 Donated to the Union Veterans Hall Association by a resolution proposed by Comrade James E. Fuller; adopted by the Common Council March 3rd 1886, and by the Select Council April 13th 1886. This monument Alter[sic} Laid for dedication May 30th 1906 by the Norfolk Memorial Association to receive the shalt already pledged by the citizens in honor of all the colored soldiers and sailors buried in West Point Cemetery and Berkley from 1860 to the last veteran to be buried in these Cemeteries, as amended and approved by contributors March 2nd 1906. Founders of Norfolk Memorial Asso. Jas E. Fuller, 1st President Mrs. R. Langley, 1st Vice President Mrs. L. J. Lynch, 1st Secretary James P. Carter, President Abel C. Carter, Secretary Magnes Riggins Treasurer James E. Fuller, Custodian Right marble plaque on east face: National Camp No. 2 - United Spanish War Vets Marble plaque on north face: Shaw Post No. 5 - G.A.R.- Shaw Woman Relief Corps No. 3 Left marble plaque on west face: John C. Fow - Post No. 67 - G.A.R. Middle marble plaque on west face: Caillioux Post No. 2 - G. A. R. - Cailloux Woman Relief Corps No. 1 Right marble plaque on west face: Ladies Aux. No. 4 - U.S.W.V. Marble plaque on south face: Dahlgren Post No 4. - G.A.R. - Dahlgren Woman Relief Corps No. 12 Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Leib, Jonathan. "A Tale of Two Civil War Statues: Teaching the Geographies of Memory and Heritage in Norfolk, Virginia." Southeastern Geographer 52, no. 4 (Winter 2012): 398-412. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Limestone; Granite; Concrete Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Norfolk African-American Civil War Memorial Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://smarthistory.org/the-lost-cause-and-confederate-memory/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smarthistory</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Virginia Department of Historic Resources, 2801 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, 23221, United States bronze Civil War columns figurative inscription https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/79d9392eef3adff22ced0e36fec19835.jpg 34d864584fc8cf8f1890c19c0d2aa3a9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Forgotten Soldier Memorial (Key West, Florida) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Florida--Key West Public art Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The bronze sculpture depicts a uniformed USCT soldier holding a rifled musket in his left hand, while his right arm is outstretched over his head. He wears a standard Union military uniform, including a forage cap; a collared button-down coat; a wide belt with a U. S. brass buckle and a leather cap box attached to the belt; trousers; and boots. The memorial sits in the Key West Veterans Memorial Garden in Bayview Park. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 16, 2016 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Edward Knight Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Key West Veterans Memorial Garden, Bayview Park, José Martí Drive and Truman Drive, Key West, Florida, 33040, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Bronze plaque on base: In January of 1863, Col. James Montgomery of Kansas was authorized to raise regiments of troops consisting entirely of free blacks and former refugee slaves. The following month, he arrived in Key West to recruit men for that regiment. All Africans between the ages of 15 and 50 not in the services were ordered to report for medical examination and, if capable of bearing arms, to embark on the US Steamer Cosmopolitan for transport to Hilton Head to serve in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. Some of these men returned to Key West after the war and started families. Several more were injured. At least 18 of them paid the ultimate price. These men served with great distinction, but their names were lost to time. This monument honors their courage, their actions, and their sacrifice, but most importantly, stands to make sure these men are never forgotten again. Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; concrete Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. City of Key West. "Forgotten Soldier Sculpture Unveiled In Key West, February 16, 2016." YouTube. Accessed February 15, 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvbte6dNCAM. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://key-west-veterans-memorial-garden-at-bayview-park.wheree.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wheree</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Key West, 1300 White Street, Key West, Florida, 33040, United States bronze Civil War figurative