Black Soldiers, Citizenship, and Constitutional Rhetoric: 1857-1866
Abstract
This paper evaluates the rhetoric surrounding military service by blacks in the Civil War, analyzing the rhetoric of political activists, most notable of whom was Frederick Douglas, and focusing on how they used newspapers, journals, and public speaking events to practice the ancient art of persuasion to build support for Civil War military service by blacks. The story of the Civil War, the end of slavery, and the journey from the Dred Scott ruling to the Fourteenth Amendment is taught at some point in some variation to virtually every school child in the United States. What is often overlooked during the historical review is the part played by military service in the black struggle for something more than freedom--the acquisition of citizenship and the practical application of the responsibilities, rights, and freedoms associated with citizenship. This study argues by analogy to show both its historical and contemporary applicability, identifying military service as an invaluable political and social link between the black battle for citizenship and similar struggles by groups of others in our society, groups who still see military service as a necessary and critical stepping stone on the path to full citizenship.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 23, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA553170
Entities
People
- Michael C. Miller
Organizations
- United States Army War College