020 African American Soldiers in the Civil War

In this episode of ITPL, we focus on the experiences of African Americans who joined the Union Army during the Civil War and the profound impact they had on the war's final outcome -- and on American society in the decades that followed. There's a lot more to this story than what you may have seen in the award-winning film, "Glory" (1989). So here's the lineup: 1. First, I provide a brief backgrounder on the basic details regarding African Americans and their service in the Union Army and Navy. 2. Second, I sit down with historian Douglas Egerton to talk about his new book, Thunder at the Gates: The Black Civil War Regiments That Redeemed America (Basic Books, 2016). 3. Finally, I present a feature on the Ft. Pillow Massacre, perhaps the grimmest incident in the whole Civil War. You can find show notes for this episode and more information about the podcast here. In The Past Lane is a production of Snoring Beagle International, Ltd.