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#OTD in 1861: Union Navy Opens Ranks to African Americans
Episode 1963
Published 7 months, 1 week ago
Description
On Sept. 25, 1861, the Union Navy allowed African Americans to enlist for the first time during the Civil War. Many were formerly enslaved people who escaped to join the fight for freedom and the Union cause. Eight African American sailors went on to earn the Medal of Honor for bravery. But progress was slow — African Americans were restricted to limited roles for decades, and the Navy didn’t commission its first Black officers until 1944.
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