The Role Of African Americans In The Civil War

The Civil War would go down in history as a moral crusade, and in the efforts to free black slaves, many heroes would emerge. During 1861 to 1870, African Americans would heavily influence the outcome of the civil war, as well as what would happen after the war. African Americans played both active roles in the civil war and reform afterwards, but both roles were critical to the more modernized plans that would be created. One active member that positively affected the civil war was Frederick Douglass. He was a black man who escaped slavery and became a leader of the abolitionist movement; he was on the brink of a changing social movement, and expressed his beliefs through books. He became a bestseller that heavily influenced American culture
The Civil War would be one of the bloodiest wars that Americans ever had to face. In 1861 when the civil war first broke out, the Union army was composed primarily of white soldiers; however, by the end of the civil war, as many as 200,000 black soldiers served. The introduction of African Americans into the war also resulted in a shift socially. For instance, in some communities blacks faced prejudice and racial slurs prior to enlisting, however after they enlisted to serve the Union, they were welcomed back into the arms by many (Doc F). The point of view of this document is significant in the fact that it provokes an emotional response from the reader. The author uses pathos to show the changing attitudes to blacks, and how their involvement in the war militarily would prove to benefit them overall. In fact, the first black man, William Carney, received the Medal of Honor during his time in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. This man, born a slave, was able to achieve the unthinkable, which
For instance, for the first time in history, African Americans were being recognized by the Federal government and were considered to be a powerful and influential force. However, despite this new found power, they still had yet to receive the same rights and benefits as many whites. In many cases, they were still considered less than Anglo-Saxon Americans. On August 20, 1862, there were as many as 1 million free blacks, many of whom held or attended a convention in which they protested the idea of a forced colonization of blacks to a certain country (Doc B). At this convention they directed a speech to President Lincoln, in which they stated that it was unjust to send blacks to a new country, as well as form slavery in a new country when it was in the process of being abolished here (Doc B). American colonization in later years would reflect some of the same ideals as what was discussed at this meeting. For instance, Americans would be seen as liberators in places like Cuba and Hawaii, and had never imposed slavery in any of these locations. This was a major milestone for African Americans because it shows their gaining political influence. A few years later, African Americans would gain their first real place in a political party. The Republican Party denounced slavery and stated that they wanted it completely eliminated, as well as the