Lest We Forget: The Massachusetts 54th

Join us as we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Regiment's attack against Fort Wagner, South Carolina. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was the first military unit consisting of black soldiers to be raised in the North during the Civil War. Prior to 1863, no concerted effort was made to recruit black troops as Union soldiers. The passage of the Emancipation Proclamation in December of 1862 provided the impetus for the use of free black men as soldiers and, at a time when state governors were responsible for the raising of regiments for federal service, Massachusetts was the first to respond with the formation of the Fifty-fourth Regiment.

Our guest speaker, Noah Griffin, is a man of many talents. Educated at Harvard Law, Yale and Fisk University, he spent 35 years in government, politics, media, and journalism before embarking on a career as a singer, actor, and inspirational speaker. Visit his website to learn more about his work: http://www.noahgriffin.com/Home.html.

Learn more about the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth, as well as the Society's manuscripts and photograph collections related to the regiment at our 54th Regiment! site.