Slaves, Sailors, Citizens African Americans in the Union Navy

E-057: Northern Illinois University Press. Very Good. 2001. Hardcover. Hardcover. 8vo. Northern Illinois University Press, DeKalb, IL. 2002. 262 pgs. Illustrated with black and white plates. DJ has light shelf-wear present to the DJ extremities. Bound in cloth boards with titles present to the spine and front board. Boards have light shelf-wear present to the extremities. Previous owner's notes present to the rear endpaper. Text has some light pencil marks present to the text. Binding tight and solid. As many as one in six Union navy sailors was African American, many of them former slaves. This richly detailed history shows that the free blacks and "contraband" slaves who joined the U. S. Navy during the Civil War were essential to Northern victories at sea. Through their role in preserving the Union, they helped to win recognition for African Americans as full citizens. African Americans joined the U. S. Navy from the first days of the war and soon demonstrated to a skeptical Northern population that they would fight for their freedom. Faced with the hazards of battle, African American sailors performed with great heroism, and several earned the nation's highest military tribute, the Medal of Honor. Their service in the navy paved the way for their wider employment in the U. S. Army. EB; 8.7 X 5.8 X 1.0 inches; 262 pages .