Collection: Fighting Two Battles: The Story of Black Union Soldiers

This sacred exhibit honors the fierce and fearless Black men who fought not just for a divided nation, but for their very humanity. “Fighting Two Battles” tells the story of those who escaped the brutal chains of slavery, leaving behind wives, children, and loved ones: not out of choice, but because freedom demanded it. These men, once seen as property, transformed into warriors of liberation. Over 180,000 Black soldiers joined the Union Army and Navy, forming the backbone of the United States Colored Troops. With rifles in hand and purpose in their hearts, they fought in worn boots and ill-fitting uniforms, often paid less and treated worse than their white counterparts; yet their courage never wavered. They fought knowing the stakes: capture could mean death or re-enslavement. But still, they marched. Still, they bled. Still, they stood tall in the face of a system that tried to erase their very existence.

This exhibit also shines light on a painful truth;  that some Black men, still enslaved in the South, were forced to fight for the Confederacy, serving their enslavers under duress and without honor. Whether coerced or free, whether North or South, these men were trapped in a war that symbolized the deepest contradictions of American hypocrisy. Yet through it all, they proved the power, resilience, and righteousness of the Black spirit. They didn’t just fight with muskets — they fought with their very presence. Their legacy laid the groundwork for Reconstruction, civil rights, and the continuing struggle for Black dignity. These men were not just soldiers; they were revolutionaries in uniform.