My name is Lindsey and this blog follows my journey into American Civil War memories, specifically, African American monuments and museums throughout the United States. I begin by visiting one of the most well-known museum and memorial in the U.S., the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum in Washington, DC. Then, I explore other monuments and grave sites across the United States and even as far as Carson City, Nevada. Join me on my adventure!
November 28, 2012
Washington D.C. - African American War Memorial
My journey began with a hop, skip, and a jump from Reno, Nevada to Washington, D.C., 2,600 miles away. After a delayed flight, landing at the wrong airport, and finally joining ten other strangers in a taxi at 1:00 a.m. in the morning, I made it to my destination.
The sculpture is nine and half tall, with a two foot tall base and features three African American soldiers and one sailor. The soldiers and sailor are seen ready to leave for battle. On the backside of the monument, the family of one son unites to wish him off (edhamiltonworks.com). "According to Hamilton, it is a 'narrative piece. This tells what they are really fighting for'" (theartaround.us).
Surrounding the soldiers are all of their 208,943 (209,145 - AACWMM.com) brothers, fellow soldiers and sailors, who served in the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. The plaques also consist of the 7,000 white officer's names who served alongside the African American and each plaque is in order by regiment (Art Inventories Catalog).
Luckily, the house I was staying at was a short fifteen-minute bus ride to the memorial, so I paid my fee and headed to my first memory. The monument, located at U & 11th Sts NW was easy to spot. It consists of the main monument, the Spirit of Freedom, which honors the African American soldiers and sailors who aided the Union during the Civil War. The monument is surrounded by the Wall of Honor. This wall is filled with the names of all African Americans known to serve during the Civil War.
| The Spirit of Freedom was dedicated on July 18, 1998. However, the process to make this memory last forever began seven years earlier. The Washington, D.C. City Council passed a resolution endorsing the memorial on July 2, 1991. Then, a year later, the U.S. House of Representatives Resolution 320 for the memorial was introduced and four months later, the law was signed. In order to design and build the memorial, the non-profit organization, the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation, was formed. The $2.6 million bronze memorial was sculpted by artist Ed Hamilton after he was chosen the winner among four finalists (Art Inventories Catalog). |
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| (edhamiltonworks.com) |
Surrounding the soldiers are all of their 208,943 (209,145 - AACWMM.com) brothers, fellow soldiers and sailors, who served in the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. The plaques also consist of the 7,000 white officer's names who served alongside the African American and each plaque is in order by regiment (Art Inventories Catalog).
Washington D.C. African American Civil War Museum: Part 1
As you follow the path leading to the museum, you see a glimpse of what is to come. Each banner has a different African American with a different role that contributed to the American Civil War. Soldiers and sailors were not the only one to participate. There were also musicians and pioneers too.
As we walked inside, two ladies greeted us: an employee of the museum and a volunteer, and asked to sign the guest book. Dawn Chitty, the Education Director at the museum, has worked at the museum for the past two years. She was originally consulted as a curriculum specialist and then was hired on to help accomplish the museum's goals of integrating the African American Civil War soldier's story into school curriculum across the United States. To Chitty the museum meant something special to her. "There is different faucets that might not be in the history books," Chitty said. "For me and the museum, it is about searching for the truth and honoring everyone."
Angela Smith Nelson is currently getting her master's degree in history and has volunteered at the museum since September. "Past history is not fully understood and written about," Nelson comments. "It makes me proud to see the accomplishments. Without colored troops, the Union would not have won."
Nelson is currently using the resources provided by the museum to trace her ancestry. Using the census from 1782, she has traced ancestry back on her mothers side and believes her great-great-great-great-great-grand father was a slave owner who fought for the Confederates.
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| Angela Smith Nelson |
Washington D.C. African American Civil War Museum: Part 2
After visiting the museum, I wanted to dig deeper into how it works, its goals, efforts, and past and future plans. To do this, I conducted an interview with the curator which can be found on the following post. I also began researching the museum itself and other African American Museums.
The idea of opening an African American museum, including the African American Civil War Museum, has encountered problems. Many of the more than 100 African American museums dedicated to history and culture of African Americans have fought for the right to become into being. A prime example is the National African-American Museum.
Tom Mack, who formed the National Council of Education and Economic Development brought the idea of a National Museum in large scale in the 1980s. "Like many Black people, Mack though that the absence of such a museum represented a tremendous over site. He felt it was symbolic of the nation's profound and officially sanctioned ignorance of the African-American contribution to U.S. history and culture" (Ruffins).
In 1986, a non-binding House Resolution was passed making the idea real. However, the museum needed to be more. Mack, with the help of others, started to vocalize the need for the museum, although some influential African Americans were against the idea. While informing the public about the efforts, Mack soon learned about the AAMA, African American Museums Association.
Once the AAMA was brought into the controversy, many people both black and white, took sides for and against the museum. Some believed the funds would be more beneficial somewhere else. Soon, committees were formed and the arguing began. Many of the discussions throughout the committee meeting involved questions regarding funding, artifacts, if a museum was even needed, separation versus segregation, and the idea of slavery and whether or not to memorialize it or not. The topic of slavery was one of the most important arguments during the discussion and correlations such as the Holocaust were brought up (Ruffins).
After many years, key players faded in and out of the museum controversy and by 1994, the idea of a National Museum lost its momentum. However, others have picked up idea and a planned National Museum is set for 2015. For more information about this museum, visit the website. This is just one example of a museum, like the Civil War Museum, who fought for stories and memories of African American to be told.
After learning about other museum, I began researching the African American Civil War museum to learn the ways it was telling African American stories. I found a review written in 2012 by Gene Seymour and published in American History, volume 47, issue 5. In his review of the African American Civil War Museum in Washington DC, Seymour first explains where the museum is and then goes into the why. The museum’s objective is “to place the Civil War in the foreground of African-American history”. Slavery is seen throughout the museum along with other information not well known to the American public. Interactive displays along with artifacts, give visitors the opportunity to dive deeper into the unknown of African Americans in the Civil War (Seymour, American History).
Seymour gives a very brief but helpful summary of what visitors can find at the museum in Washington. What his review lacks however are the many efforts the museum is taking to commemorate African Americans and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Hari Jones, curator of the museum said, "the monument and museum are the first real organized effort in the United States to tell the story accurately in the last one hundred years." Just looking at the website, you can see the benefits of the museum, the stories it has already told, and the plans it has for the future.
In addition to the memorial, the museum opened in the first building in January, 1999. Each year, more than 200,000 visitors visit both the museum and the memorial each year. Due to the high demand of visitors and the need to expand, the museum moved closer to the monument in April, 2011 (afroamcivilwar.org).
As mentioned before, the museum's purpose is to tell the stories of the African American who fought for their freedom. Soldiers in the United States Colored Troops and others involved in the war are just as much a part of history as anyone else. The museum tells these vitally important stories in many ways.
One of the ways the museum does this is by the use of their traveling exhibit. This exhibit specifically talked about the story of "A Glorious March to Liberty." With eight panels, the exhibit uses articles, personal letters, diary entries, and more to tell the story (afroamciviwar.org).
Panels two through eight consist of the following: "the second panel is entitled “Slavery and the Union,” and it examines slavery as a divisive issue leading up to the Civil War. The third panel “Spies of the Rebellion” identifies an African American organization that provided spies for the Union from the beginning of the war. “Union Cry for Help,” panel four, examines the military situation that led to the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the creation of the Bureau of United States Colored Troops. The fifth and sixth panels are entitled “Soldiers and Sailors,” and they share the story of these American freedom fighters in their own words and as reported in Harpers Weekly. The seventh panel “Liberators and Defenders” chronicles the successes of these freedom fighters as defenders of the US Constitution liberating enslaved Americans by enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation. The last panel examines these 'Freedom Fighters’ Legacy'" (afroamcivilwar.org).
Along with the panels, the exhibit includes three books with all of the names of the soldiers on the Wall of Honor. It also includes a DVD about the museum and memorial and of course, a member from the museum will come speak at the event.
One of the most important goals of the museum is education, to share the stories of the soldiers. The museum offers field trips to schools and other groups, seminars and workshops for teachers and hopes to one day, be able to supply materials for school curriculum across the country. Schools have the opportunity to allow children in certain age groups learn different things. For example, grades kindergarten through third grade can enjoy story hour which "explores the Glorious March to Liberty: Civil War to Civil Rights
through children’s literature and an accompanying arts integrated
activity" (afroamcivilwar.org).
Jones also would like to get each state involved in the history by featuring each state and the events that occured in that state during the war.
Another way the museum tells the story of the soldiers is by connecting you with them. By tracing your ancestry back to the Civil War, receive the chance and tools necessary to begin genealogy research. The museum has many resources along with the experience to do this, and Angela Smith Nelson, the volunteer at the museum is taking advantage of this right now.
Along with the museum's regular programs and tours, it also has a great opportunity to collaborate with the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and the museum is doing just that. With events that started last year, the museum holds different lectures, seminars, tours and more to tie in the 150th anniversary and accomplish their goal by telling the soldiers stories. Past events included Watch Night and Flag Day. Future events can been seen on the calendar below.
The idea of opening an African American museum, including the African American Civil War Museum, has encountered problems. Many of the more than 100 African American museums dedicated to history and culture of African Americans have fought for the right to become into being. A prime example is the National African-American Museum.
Tom Mack, who formed the National Council of Education and Economic Development brought the idea of a National Museum in large scale in the 1980s. "Like many Black people, Mack though that the absence of such a museum represented a tremendous over site. He felt it was symbolic of the nation's profound and officially sanctioned ignorance of the African-American contribution to U.S. history and culture" (Ruffins).
In 1986, a non-binding House Resolution was passed making the idea real. However, the museum needed to be more. Mack, with the help of others, started to vocalize the need for the museum, although some influential African Americans were against the idea. While informing the public about the efforts, Mack soon learned about the AAMA, African American Museums Association.
Once the AAMA was brought into the controversy, many people both black and white, took sides for and against the museum. Some believed the funds would be more beneficial somewhere else. Soon, committees were formed and the arguing began. Many of the discussions throughout the committee meeting involved questions regarding funding, artifacts, if a museum was even needed, separation versus segregation, and the idea of slavery and whether or not to memorialize it or not. The topic of slavery was one of the most important arguments during the discussion and correlations such as the Holocaust were brought up (Ruffins).
After many years, key players faded in and out of the museum controversy and by 1994, the idea of a National Museum lost its momentum. However, others have picked up idea and a planned National Museum is set for 2015. For more information about this museum, visit the website. This is just one example of a museum, like the Civil War Museum, who fought for stories and memories of African American to be told.
After learning about other museum, I began researching the African American Civil War museum to learn the ways it was telling African American stories. I found a review written in 2012 by Gene Seymour and published in American History, volume 47, issue 5. In his review of the African American Civil War Museum in Washington DC, Seymour first explains where the museum is and then goes into the why. The museum’s objective is “to place the Civil War in the foreground of African-American history”. Slavery is seen throughout the museum along with other information not well known to the American public. Interactive displays along with artifacts, give visitors the opportunity to dive deeper into the unknown of African Americans in the Civil War (Seymour, American History).
Seymour gives a very brief but helpful summary of what visitors can find at the museum in Washington. What his review lacks however are the many efforts the museum is taking to commemorate African Americans and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Hari Jones, curator of the museum said, "the monument and museum are the first real organized effort in the United States to tell the story accurately in the last one hundred years." Just looking at the website, you can see the benefits of the museum, the stories it has already told, and the plans it has for the future.
In addition to the memorial, the museum opened in the first building in January, 1999. Each year, more than 200,000 visitors visit both the museum and the memorial each year. Due to the high demand of visitors and the need to expand, the museum moved closer to the monument in April, 2011 (afroamcivilwar.org).
As mentioned before, the museum's purpose is to tell the stories of the African American who fought for their freedom. Soldiers in the United States Colored Troops and others involved in the war are just as much a part of history as anyone else. The museum tells these vitally important stories in many ways.
One of the ways the museum does this is by the use of their traveling exhibit. This exhibit specifically talked about the story of "A Glorious March to Liberty." With eight panels, the exhibit uses articles, personal letters, diary entries, and more to tell the story (afroamciviwar.org).
Panels two through eight consist of the following: "the second panel is entitled “Slavery and the Union,” and it examines slavery as a divisive issue leading up to the Civil War. The third panel “Spies of the Rebellion” identifies an African American organization that provided spies for the Union from the beginning of the war. “Union Cry for Help,” panel four, examines the military situation that led to the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the creation of the Bureau of United States Colored Troops. The fifth and sixth panels are entitled “Soldiers and Sailors,” and they share the story of these American freedom fighters in their own words and as reported in Harpers Weekly. The seventh panel “Liberators and Defenders” chronicles the successes of these freedom fighters as defenders of the US Constitution liberating enslaved Americans by enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation. The last panel examines these 'Freedom Fighters’ Legacy'" (afroamcivilwar.org).
Along with the panels, the exhibit includes three books with all of the names of the soldiers on the Wall of Honor. It also includes a DVD about the museum and memorial and of course, a member from the museum will come speak at the event.
 |
| afroamcivilwar.org |
Jones also would like to get each state involved in the history by featuring each state and the events that occured in that state during the war.
 |
| afroamcivilwar.org |
Along with the museum's regular programs and tours, it also has a great opportunity to collaborate with the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and the museum is doing just that. With events that started last year, the museum holds different lectures, seminars, tours and more to tie in the 150th anniversary and accomplish their goal by telling the soldiers stories. Past events included Watch Night and Flag Day. Future events can been seen on the calendar below.
An Interview with the Curator
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| afroamcivilwar.com |
Jones's love for the Civil War, specifically African American's involvement in the Civil War, began many years ago. His grandmother was the one to first spark his interest when she would talk about her great-great-grandfather who lived during the war as a scout.
Then, the more he learned in school, the more he wanted to dig deeper into history he felt was not being told correctly. One professor taught in class that African Americans were insignificant in the Civil War. "After he adamantly told students this, this is when I decided to dig as deep as I could into the subject matter," Jones reflected.
His involvement in the Marine Corps allowed him event further education by allowing him to analyze different battles and when he had the opportunities to select a battle of his choice to look at, Jones selected Civil War battles.
"In 1996, I decided to pursue the topic full-time and by 1997, I was dedicated to digging deeper in primary sources to present the story rather than regurgitate what other scholars said. I wanted the truth," Jones said. Jones has been working at the museum for nine years now.
To Jones, the museum is a platform to tell an American story. "For me, the story has been suppressed and falsified," Jones explained. "Its important to tell the story, that was left out, to the American people."
The museum's goals are ultimately to tell the stories of the United States Colors troops and others involved in the American Civil War. "Our main goal is to bring attention to the historical events that occurred and the roles that different African Americans played during the war," Jones said. "We also want to begin integrating material into school curriculum across the country and feature each of the states and tell the story of what went on in the state during the war."
"The challenge however is not getting the information we need to tell the story. That is accessible," Jones said. "The challenge is getting a bigger building and getting the funds to do all of this and tell the story that needs to be told."
The museum plans to begin holding teacher seminars, assisting teachers, and working with libraries and the archives of Congress to accomplish these goals.
Luckily, time is on the museums side. It is currently the ongoing 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and the museum is using that to their advantage. With events such as galas, lectures, and more, the museum is able to present the story from the African American's perspective by using primary sources. The events began with the anniversary of the day the war began. The museum held and event on April 12th.
With thousands of visitors a year, the museum is doing a wonderful job at telling the African American Civil War soldier's stories. With the use of social media, both Facebook and Twitter, a website, and attention from the press, the museum is one of the top ten spots to visit in Washington D.C. For more information, visit their website here.
Other monuments across the United States
There are many other memories of African American Civil War soldiers, sailors, and those that participated in the American Civil War that range across the United States, mainly in the east. Below are pictures and a brief description of each memorial or marker. These are just 14 of the many monuments dedicated to a part of history many do not know about. Most of the monuments were erected between 1990 and the 2000's and three rare monuments can be found in former Confederate states.
The following information is found from another blog and I would highly recommend checking it out and reading more about the different stories each monument tells.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
The Connecticut Twenty-Ninth Colored Regiment, C.V. Infantry Memorial erected in 2008 by Ed Hamiliton lives in Criscuolo Park in New Haven, Connecticut.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
The 2nd Regiment Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops Monument was dedicated in 1998 and is can be visited in downtown Fort Myers, Florida.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
Colored Soldiers Monument is in Frankfort, Kentucky and is also known as the Kentucky African American Civil War Veterans Monument.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
The above monument is in memory of more than 400 colored troops and can be found in Chestertown, Maryland.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
This monument is in honor of Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts 54th Regiment and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
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The African American Monument in Vicksburg, Mississippi can be found in the National Military Park.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
In Butler, Missouri is the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Civil War Monument.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
The 56th United States Colored Troops Monument in St. Louis, Missouri is for all of the officers who died of cholera.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
Jefferson City in Missouri is home of the Soldiers' memorial at Lincoln University and commemorates the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantry.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
Built in a former Confederate State, the monument in Hertford, North Carolina is in memory of the colored Union soldiers.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
The United States Colored Troops National Monument in Nashville, Tennessee is modeled after a USCT reenactor.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
The Norfolk African American Civil War Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia is also built in a former Confederate state.
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| jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com |
In Portsmouth, Virginia, is the third monument built in a former Confederate state.
For teachers interested in monuments, James A. Percoco's Teaching Resources, Monumental History: Commemorating America's Civil War Sesquicentennial, Percoco discusses the many Civil War monuments. This resource discusses many ways teachers are able to bring students 150 years back into history bringing the Civil War into school curriculum.
The Gravesite of Henry William Lockerman
Stories of African American Civil War soldiers and sailors extend to the west as well. Near a Civil War Memorial in Carson City, Nevada, rests Henry William Lockerman now buried in the Lone Mountain Cemetery. Cindy Southerland, Museum Archivist and Curator was gracious enough to share the information she has with me.
Born October 4, 1840, Lockerman served in the 79 U.S. Colored Infantry as a private. After the war, he became a barber and moved to Grantsville, Nevada. He later moved to Silver City, Nevada where he died October 27, 1904 at the age of 64.
"My name is Henry William Lockerman. I was born in Cleveland, Cyuahoga County, Ohio. I was born on the 4th of October 1940. I enlisted on the 10th day of July 1862, at Wierdott, Kansas. Occupation Baber. My height was I think 6 feet when I was enlisted. My complexion Black. Color of Hair Black Eyes Dark Brown. I did not have any marks or scars on my person at that time. My discharge papers were burnt in a fire some years ago." This statement was hand written by Lockerman for his pension claim in his General Affidavit on January 26th, 1901(provided by Southerland).
Although no exact information was found in the 1940 Federal Census about the birth of Lockerman, information was found about a man who could have been his father. In the records, there is a Lockerman listed, a 66-year-old black male, with a four year old son named Henry plus three other children. All are listed as "free individuals." If this information is correct, then the birth given by Lockerman is not correct.
There is also a hand written account of Lockerman's marriage to Lottie Stover, a 24-year-old Omaha, Nebraska resident. Lockerman was also 24 at the time of the marriage. Ben Sheeks was the probate judge and there were three witness to the marriage on October 21st, 1867.
In the 1880 census, information is found on Lockerman as a 39-year-old black male barber in Grantsville, Nevada. He is however, single and unemployed. Then, in the 1900 census, Lockerman now lives in Silver City, Nevada as a barber. It is listed that his partner is the head of the household, Alonxx A. Smith is a 79-year-old white widower (Southerland).
"My name is Henry William Lockerman. I was born in Cleveland, Cyuahoga County, Ohio. I was born on the 4th of October 1940. I enlisted on the 10th day of July 1862, at Wierdott, Kansas. Occupation Baber. My height was I think 6 feet when I was enlisted. My complexion Black. Color of Hair Black Eyes Dark Brown. I did not have any marks or scars on my person at that time. My discharge papers were burnt in a fire some years ago." This statement was hand written by Lockerman for his pension claim in his General Affidavit on January 26th, 1901(provided by Southerland).
There is also a hand written account of Lockerman's marriage to Lottie Stover, a 24-year-old Omaha, Nebraska resident. Lockerman was also 24 at the time of the marriage. Ben Sheeks was the probate judge and there were three witness to the marriage on October 21st, 1867.
In the 1880 census, information is found on Lockerman as a 39-year-old black male barber in Grantsville, Nevada. He is however, single and unemployed. Then, in the 1900 census, Lockerman now lives in Silver City, Nevada as a barber. It is listed that his partner is the head of the household, Alonxx A. Smith is a 79-year-old white widower (Southerland).
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