First National Candlelighting Ceremony for 200-thousand soldiers of the United States Colored Troops in honor of 150th Anniversary of the Civil War

From Civil War to Civil Rights

 

 On November 5, 2011, descendants of black soldiers who fought for the Union in The Civil War will gather at The African American Civil War Museum & Memorial located at 1925 Vermont Avenue in Washington D.C. at 2:00 p.m. to pay tribute to the members of the United States Colored Troops as part of the observances of the 150

Television Personality Cheryl Wills will be delivering the keynote address. She is also the author of “Die Free: A Heroic Family Tale” which is about her great-great-great grandfather’s service during the Civil War. There will also be remarks by Sons & Daughters of USCT Secretary General Asa Gordon, President & National Spokesman of the United African Congress Sidique Wai and Civil War Re-enactments by Willis Phelps, Carol F. Gordon and Museum Curator Hari Jones.

The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were comprised of African soldiers, many of whom were slaves. First recruited in 1863, the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union Army. At the end of the ceremony, descendants of USCT soldiers will speak the name of their relative and light a candle in their memory.