The 54th Massachusetts

I watched the program, Civil War Journal: The 54th Massachusetts on the History Channel. The program told the story of the 54th Massachusetts voluntary infantry regiment. The 54th Massachusetts was the first black regiment to enlist in the north during the Civil War.

The show begins with the treatment of African Americans in the north and south before and during the Civil War. The north did not want African Americans to fight in the Civil War even though Frederick Douglass was a huge advocate for African Americans becoming soldiers and fighting for their citizenship. Because casualties were so high in the war, white Americans realized that they wouldn't be able to win the war without the help of African Americans, and so the 54th Massachusetts was organized. Colonel Robert Shaw was reluctant at first to lead the 54th because he didn't agree with the abolition of slavery.

The show talks about the bravery of the 54th during a battle of the coast of Charleston and the attack on Fort Wagner. Even though the 54th had to retreat at Fort Wagner, the History Channel tells the story of Sergeant William Carney who became the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor for his bravery during battle, including saving the American flag. The 54th is remembered for their heroism and paving the way for other African American soldiers involved in the Civil War.

The show told the story of the 54th Massachusetts through historians, professors, re-enactments, and narratives. I couldn't recognize any of the narrator's voices but the use of historians and professors makes the show more academic and scholarly. They tell the story of a few specific soldiers in the regiment to make the story more personal. Overall, the show was informative and appealing to watch because I found the subject to be interesting.