Civil War: The Role of Ex-Slaves after the Civil War

When Abraham Lincoln took office as President onfought for the same cause (Preface and
March 4, 1861 - the United States was a dividedAcknowledgements).
country with slavery as the key issue before theBy the end of the Civil War (McPherson 1965, 128),
nation. In order to preserve the Union, it wasmore than 186,000 black men had served in the U. S.
inevitable that something had to be done in America.Armed Forces, and over 38,000 died in an attempt
The differences of the states spiraled into America'sto be part of America's inclusive freedom. The
most dreadful and bloody civil war.meritorious Congressional Medals of Honor was
The Civil War (1861-1865)awarded to twenty-four black soldiers. About
From the very beginning of the Civil War, both360,000 troops died in the war, on the Union side. On
northern Whites and free Blacks came forth to jointhe Confederate side, around 260,000 troops died.
the Union Army. From the start, both black slavesThe Civil War ended on April 9, 1865.
and freeman regarded the chance to serve in theThe Reconstruction (1865-1877)
military as a method for abandoning their chains andThe whole of America, including the South, had to be
to prove their loyalty and worthiness to this nation.rebuilt, and, despite the South's hostile resistance,
For some unknown reasons, some black slaves,African-Americans were slowly and gradually
chose to remain with their masters and aided thembecoming part of this nation. The long awaited
on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War.citizenship for Blacks was confirmed in 1868, by the
As the bloody war went on, many slaves ran away14th Amendment to the Constitution. By 1870, the
from their masters and joined the Union Army.15th Amendment was passed to the Constitution,
Hundreds of these slaves were crossing into Unionwhich gave blacks the right to vote.
territory. Soon the separate regiments of all blackThe Reconstruction, although short-lived, showed the
troops were formed in the military. Other Blacksfirst real attempts of inclusive freedom for
became volunteers in semi-military or military supportAfrican-Americans. Gains were taking place:
positions. Blacks did not have the right to join the CivilCitizenship, Voting, Education, and Politics.
War until August of 1862; at that time BlacksRole of Ex-Slaves after the End of Civil War
received the endorsement of Congress to serve inThere are a large number of African Americans who
the Civil war. Uncertainty was all around, untilplayed a significant role in the post civil war era,
Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamationmaking great contributions at various levels of
on January 1, 1863, and the ex-slaves got the rightsociety despite major hurdles. Out of these heroes
to be inducted into the U.S. Union Armed Forces. AsGeorge Washington Carver and Ida Wells-Barnett
the casualties on both sides of the war rose moreseem to be great role models for all times.
soldiers were needed. Lincoln needed successGeorge Washington Carver (1860-1943)
consequently the Emancipation was aimed at gettingCarver was one of the best-known agricultural
more recruits. The Emancipation Proclamation onlyscientists of his generation; he was born into slavery
freed those slaves in the states under the jurisdictionnear Diamond Grove, Missouri. Carver and his mother
of the Confederacy.were kidnapped by slave raiders, when he was a
After the Emancipation Proclamation a door wassix-week old infant, but his owner allegedly ransomed
wide-open for Blacks to serve in the Civil War.him back with a $300 prize racehorse. While still a boy
Thousands of volunteers came from the newly freedalthough Carver had to work and live all by himself,
slaves out of the Confederate states. In order tohe managed to finish high school and became the
handle the recruitment and organization of all blackfirst African American student to enroll at Simpson
regiments, a Bureau of Colored Troops was formedCollege in Indianola, Iowa. He also put himself through
on May 1, 1863, by the War Department. These unitsthe Iowa Agricultural College by working as a janitor,
were called the United States Colored Troops, andearning a B.S. in 1894 and an M.S. in 1896 in agricultural
people had doubts about their competency, loyalty,science. After completing his Masters, Carver joined
and bravery; they were under close scrutiny from allBooker T. Washington at the Tuskegee Institute to
areas. White officers were commanders of thesedirect Tuskegee's agricultural research department,
troops, and acceptance of ex-slaves by theseuntil he died in 1943.
commanders was not always keen. Some notableAt Tuskegee, Carver concentrated on convincing
recognition came to these troops (Brown 1867,Southern farmers to add other crops and curtail their
198-205) when the 54th All Black Infantry Regimentreliance on cotton that had ruined the soil, producing
out of Boston displayed fearlessness, when theymore poor crops. The key according to him was in
charged Fort Wagner. More than 300diversifying by planting sweet potatoes and peas. To
African-Americans died at the Fort Wagner assault.make these crops more profitable Carver did
Today, the role played by the blacks isextensive research and produced more than 300
acknowledged (Asbell 1999, Preface &derivative products from the peanut and 118 from
Acknowledgement):the sweet potato. In 1923 Carver won the Spin Garn
……Those black men who wore theAward, the highest annual prize given by the National
uniform of their country some of whom died for itAssociation for Colored People. In 1938 he took
are entitled to be recognized for their commitment.$30,000-- his entire life's savings--and founded the
The battles that were fought and the hardshipsGeorge Washington Carver Foundation to continue
endured were the same regardless of skin color.his work after his death. After his death in 1943 the
When the bugle sounded the charge and the bulletsrest of his estate went to the foundation. He was
flew, the color of one's skin made no difference; allburied on the Tuskegee campus.