For many, the 1989 Edward Zwick film Glory provides the only context for African American military involvement in the U.S. Civil War. Yet almost 200,000 African Americans served in the Union Army and Navy during the war. While the contributions of the 54th Massachusetts are well documented, many earlier contributions of men of color have been forgotten, lost, or are buried deep within the pension and military files of those who served.
Leading to Glory is the story of five Louisiana men who volunteered to fight for the freedom they sought and cherished. Their stories have often been forgotten, shared only by word of mouth or hidden deep within public and private archives, but the impact of their lives is still felt to this day. To see people of color in today’s United States military or to exercise one’s right to vote is a nod to the contributions and sacrifices of these men and others like them. They were at the start of a long difficult and often dangerous journey to the freedoms we sometimes take for granted and are frequently still fighting for today. In many cases, their lives beyond military service continued to push the boundaries and false limits of what society deemed a person of color could achieve.