Colored Confederates and U.S. Colored Troops

Did you know that enslaved and free people of color from North Carolina served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War? Earl Ijames, Curator of African American and Community History at the N.C. Museum of History, has spent years researching this topic. He will share his findings during History à la Carte: Colored Confederates and U.S. Colored Troops on Wednesday, Aug. 18, at 12:10 p.m. at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. Bring your lunch to this program; beverages are provided.

Ijames based his research on primary sources, such as original letters and records. He found that people of color in North Carolina not only fought in battle, but they served as spies, provided tactical support and labor, and fulfilled many other duties. Ijames stresses that the state’s enslaved individuals and free people of color viewed the Civil War as an opportunity to fight for their freedom. (Many restrictive laws applied to free people of color.) Hear about their struggle for freedom, and find out what is being done to honor them today.

This is one of many topics that will be explored at the Museum of History during the N.C. Civil War Sesquicentennial from 2011 to 2015. The museum and the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources will present programs in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in North Carolina.

For information about the museum, call 919-807-7900.

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