In May of 1863 the 54th Massachusetts, one of the first African American regiments to fight for the Union, marched out of Boston. Immediately formed following the Emancipation Proclamation, the 54th Massachusetts changed public opinion about African Americans serving in combat and helped inspire over 180,000 African Americans to enlist in the Union Army. Join us as we explore the history of this unit and their critical contributions during the American Civil War.

****
Shawn Quigley has been a park ranger for the National Park Service at the National Parks of Boston since 2012. He received his bachelor’s degree in History from Suffolk University in 2014 and his masters in American Studies at UMASS Boston in 2017. He has spent most of his professional career exploring the history of Boston’s free African American community in the 19th century and its role in the abolition movement, Underground Railroad, and the fight for civil rights.