Double Vee and Me

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San Bernardino Valley College *

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History

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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Fakumoh-Dick 1 Ekpoboaredo Fakumoh-Dick Dr. Melaine Lindsay HIS-15 October 30, 2023 Contributions of African Americans and the Union's Civil War Victory Men of African descent from the North viewed the Civil War as a chance to achieve emancipation. Whether they enlisted in the Union Army or contributed as civilians, their motivation was to combat discrimination. Distinguished for its valor at Fort Wagner, the 54th Massachusetts Regiment exemplified the dedication of black Northerners who enlisted in the Union Army. Prominent individuals such as Douglass fervently championed emancipation as a primary objective of the Union's war effort. The "Double Vee" strategy, which gained prominence during the Civil War era via African-American periodicals, sought to eradicate prejudice on a state and international level. Black Americans were encouraged to serve in the military by publications such as the Chicago Defender, which argued that success overseas would bolster the argument for equal rights within the United States. "Our struggle is also against the foreign tyranny that seeks to subjugate us," emphasizes a "Double Vee" source (Anonymous, Chicago Defender, March 1864). Many African Americans were taken aback when, in 1863, the Union issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which proclaimed war on slavery. Slaves in Confederate territory were emancipated by this legal act, which altered the course of the conflict and abolished slavery in the United States. Amidst the American Civil War, black women assumed pivotal responsibilities as laborers, caregivers, and physicians, all of which assisted troops and attended to the injured. Prominent individuals, including the laundress and Nurse Susie King Taylor, emphasized these contributions in her autobiography titled "Reminiscences of My Life in Camp."

Fakumoh-Dick 2 Post-Emancipation Proclamation, the deliberate incorporation of black personnel from both free Northern and Confederate states bolstered the Union Army strategically while decreasing Confederate labor. The successful seizure of a Confederate ship by Robert Smalls exemplified the critical role that black personnel played in securing Union victories from a tactical standpoint. Northern African Americans maintained their military service and received noncombatant assistance after the Civil War. Their "Double Vee" emblem represented their simultaneous struggle against both domestic racism and international fascism. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1864, which authorized abolitionist activities during the conflict, had an unexpected effect on African Americans. The varied contributions made by black women and the deliberate participation of black troops in the Union Army serve as comprehensive illustrations of the complex and diverse function that the black community performed in the Union's triumph during this pivotal era in American history. These factors intricately linked local and global endeavors aimed at securing freedom and equality. In conclusion, the narrative of Northern African American involvement in the Civil War is one of resilience, determination, and strategic contribution. From their pivotal roles in the Union Army to the implementation of the "Double Vee" strategy, black individuals not only shaped the course of the conflict but also played a vital role in securing Union victory. As Nell Irvin Painter notes in "Creating Black Americans," the struggle for freedom was so profound that even President Lincoln, at one point, considered efforts to physically separate races, with a proposal to banish black people to Central America. This historical context underscores the depth of antiblack racism and the challenges faced by African Americans during this critical period (Painter 2006). The complex and interconnected nature of their efforts reflects a profound

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