Essay on The Afro-Americans and The Civil War - 4190 Words

The Afro-Americans and The Civil War No officer in this regiment now doubts that the key to the successful prosecution of this war lies in the unlimited employment of black troops. Their superiority lies simply in the fact that they know the country, while white troops do not, and, moreover, that they have peculiarities of temperament, position, and motive which belong to them alone. Instead of leaving their homes and families to fight they are fighting for their homes and families, and they show the resolution and sagacity which a personal purpose gives. It would have been madness to attempt, with the bravest white troops what I have successfully accomplished with the black ones. Everything, even to the piloting of the†¦show more content†¦The Proclamation also provided the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, thereby letting those who were liberated to become liberators. Almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and their freedom by the end of the war. From the beginning of the Civil War, the slaves had acted to secure their own freedom. The Emancipation Proclamation made the blacks realize that the war for the Union must become a war for freedom. This added a moral force to the Union cause that strengthened the Union, both militarily and politically. This document was a milestone on the road to slavery’s final destruction. When we see the words or read about the Colored Troops of the United States, we have to ask ourselves: Who were these people? Where did they come from? What role did these people play in reshaping the socio-political and military structures of the United States of America? The start of the Civil War began in South Carolina on April 12, 1861, at a place called Fort Sumter, but even before tha,t there were seven states in the deep South that had seceded from the Union. A convention was held in Montgomery, Alabama, where Jefferson Davis was elected and a Constitution was written for the Confederate states of America. Soon four more states seceded, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The slave states that remained loyal to the Union wereShow MoreRelated Positions of Blacks in the Civil War and Emancipation Essay1640 Words   |  7 Pagesright to citizenship in the United States. The quote mentioned above was proclaimed by African American abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and served as motivation for African Americans to enlist in the Union’s Army efforts and take an initiative in their future. With President Abraham Lincolns issue of his Preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, the Civil War developed to be a war to ultimately save the union and to abolish slavery. Blacks overall played a substantial part inRead MoreEssay on Richard Gibney’s â€Å"the Whipping Boy†1012 Words   |  5 PagesRichard Gibney’s â€Å"The Whipping Boy† Slavery has always been a debated subject among Americans, and numerous artists, authors, directors etc. have through American history given their take on ‘slavery’ before and after the abolishment. However in recent years the subject of slavery has appeared in several books and films (12 Years a Slave, Django etc.), where most of them describe the brutality, in which, Afro Americans lived. â€Å"The Whipping Boy†, does as the others describe the historic brutality, butRead MoreHistory of African Americans and Higher Education Essay example1188 Words   |  5 PagesFor blacks, the history of higher education typically points to segregated education. Before the Civil War, the social system promoted the belief that blacks wouldn’t get return on their time spent in higher education. 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In 1987, Tyson earned a B.A. at Emory University and then his Ph. D in history at Duke University in 1994. He also became an assistant professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin -Madison the same year he received his Ph.D., and later became a full-time professor. Tyson currently stays in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife P erri and their two children, and serves as a Senior ResearchRead MoreRacial Diversity705 Words   |  3 Pageswhite ancestry) of American Indians. By 1890, the census racial classification reflected a growing preoccupation with identifying persons with slightest hint of African ancestry, adding categories for â€Å"quadroon† (persons with one-fourth black ancestry) and â€Å"octoroon† (persons with one-eighth or less black ancestry). In 1930, Mexicans were added to the growing list of â€Å"nonwhites.† Fearing the move as an effort to stigmatize (and possibly deny naturalization to) Mexican Americans by labeling themRead MoreThe Great New Orleans Kidnapping Case : Race, Law, And Justice929 Words   |  4 Pagesthat happened in New Orleans by 1870 were the inclusion of a highly educated Afro-creole elite, democratic vision of Post-war Republicans testing, race became an important factor in politics and the Reconstruction. Social changes such as formation of highly educated Afro-creole elite meant that an interracial sharing of power could be possible. New Orleans at the time was under the governorship of Henry Clay Warmoth, a war time Republican. Meanwhile at the moment New Orleans was being tested for aRead MoreAn Active Role in Shaping History Essay1590 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican-descended definitely contributed, was mostly shaped by and a result of decisions in which they had no involvement. They were unable to play an active role in their Diaspora; they were forced to be passive participants. However, following World War II, that began to change with the African and African-descended utilizing major political and cultural developments to shape their own histories as well as others. Political developments and endeavors throughout the second half of the twentieth century