Beyond Shackles: The Fight for Freedom

While slavery formed the pretext for the Civil War, not all African Americans of the mid-19th century United States languished in bondage. Some exercised their freedom as active abolitionists and in espionage, while others performed as stationmasters and guides for the Underground Railroad. They fought for the Union on land as soldiers in the U.S. Colored Troops and at sea in the crew of the U.S. Navy’s first ironclad, the U.S.S. Monitor. The talk is hosted by Wisteria Perry, interpretation and community outreach manager for The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News.