•Militia ActMilitia Act: mandated that black soldiers be accepted into the military.

5454thth Massachusetts Regiment Massachusetts Regiment::•Abolitionist governor of Abolitionist governor of Massachusetts support the Massachusetts support the formation of this regiment.formation of this regiment.•By the Civil War’s end more By the Civil War’s end more than 180,000 African Americanthan 180,000 African American volunteers volunteers had served in the had served in the Union army Union army

African American Soldiers Fight African American Soldiers Fight BravelyBravely::•Racist attitudes left whites with Racist attitudes left whites with low expectations of black troops;low expectations of black troops;•However, the African Americans However, the African Americans performance of the battle field performance of the battle field proved the whites’ racists proved the whites’ racists attitudes false!attitudes false!

• African American Soldiers Fight African American Soldiers Fight BravelyBravely: After the battle in Port : After the battle in Port Hudson, Mississippi – the first Hudson, Mississippi – the first major test for African American major test for African American soldiers, a Union officer declared, soldiers, a Union officer declared, “my prejudices with regard to “my prejudices with regard to negro troops have been dispelled negro troops have been dispelled by the battle…The brigade of by the battle…The brigade of negroes behaved magnificently.”negroes behaved magnificently.”

African American Soldiers Fight BravelyAfrican American Soldiers Fight Bravely::

•African Americans still faced African Americans still faced prejudice:prejudice:•Assigned menial tasks, such as Assigned menial tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, or digging latrines; cooking, cleaning, or digging latrines; served longest guard duty and were served longest guard duty and were placed in exposed battle positions; placed in exposed battle positions; took 3 years effort to get equal paytook 3 years effort to get equal pay

• Enslaved People Help the Union CauseEnslaved People Help the Union Cause: : • Enslaved Africans in the South played Enslaved Africans in the South played

an important role in the war:an important role in the war:• White owners often abandoned White owners often abandoned

plantations for the safety of southern plantations for the safety of southern cities, leaving trusted slaves to cities, leaving trusted slaves to manage the farm.manage the farm.• Union troops often enlisted these Union troops often enlisted these

African Americans.African Americans.

Enslaved People Help the Union Enslaved People Help the Union CauseCause: : •Helped supply troops with food;Helped supply troops with food;•Used their familiarity with the Used their familiarity with the terrain to serve as spies or scouts terrain to serve as spies or scouts for the Union army;for the Union army;•Some organized their own militia Some organized their own militia units.units.