It was not until 1863 two years after the Civil War began that black soldiers were recruited by The Union. “A war undertaken and brazenly carries on for the perpetual enslavement of colored men, calls logically and loudly for colored men to help suppress it,” Stated Frederick Douglas. It took massive bloodshed of military volunteers and soon a draft, in both cases of white soldiers for black soldiers to be considered and finally allowed to enlist. Fighting would allow for the hope of the enslaved in the South when they see black soldiers coming to their rescue, and allow them to fight for “Liberty justice & Equality.” Discrimination within the Union army was evident; black soldiers had to often do manual labor instead of actual fighting. Equal pay became a major plight of black soldiers as well. The 54th Regiment in which James Henry Gooding were significant figures in this plight; Gooding wrote to President Lincoln and said “Now the main question is, Are we soldiers, or are we Labourers?...Now your excellency, we have done a Soldier’s Duty. Why can’t we have a soldier’s pay?” Congress made black and white soldier’s pay equal in June of 1864. After serving they believed not only in their freedom but in their right to civil and political freedom. “We want two more boxes besides the cartridge box- the ballot and the jury box.” Serving in the war allowed black soldiers to learn to read and write; resulting in many becoming teachers, and politicians.
Questions
Prior to June 1864 black soldiers were given less than equal pay to white soldiers and were subject to manual labor instead of fighting. If you had been a free black in the North would you have joined the Union, once blacks were given that right? Explain.
Had James Henry Gooding not written his eloquent letter to Lincoln and the 54th Regiment not taken a stance against unequal pay; do you believe that Congress would have equalized pay as early as 1864 or at all? Explain.
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