United States Colored Regiments Memorial Project
Introduction The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. At the outset, African American men were prohibited by federal law from enlisting in the Union Army. President Abraham Lincoln, concerned about border state loyalty and the political consequences of arming Black men, initially resisted their inclusion in Union ranks. Yet from the war’s earliest days, free Black men and formerly enslaved men sought the right to fight—not only for the preservation of the Union, but for freedom, citizenship, and dignity. Click for more Soldiers & Sailors Biographies and Regiment Summaries | ||||||
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