Massachusetts 54th exhibit
A look at the Massachusetts 54th all African american unit
who were the massachusetts 54th
These men that where in the Massachusetts 54th where all black men many run away slaves and few men there where born free or have bought there way out they had one commanding officer- Robert Gould Shaw who was white, in the beginning they couldn't count they didn't know right from left so he tough them he then saw that this wouldn't be easy but as they continue he found that these black men where like the white men all they wanted was to fight for there rights just like everyone else they might not be educated but if you you ask any of them today if they wound change anything they wouldn't cause some times the worst things that happen are for the good
Discrimination on the battle field
The soldiers of 45th regiment didn't have a lot of contact with the other soldiers but when they did they put the 45th regiment down cause there black. The other soldiers didn't look at them as soldiers they looked at them as slaves uneducated, weak, and unimportant. But when they got threaten they stayed, and so did Shaw they got told that black men caught in a uniform can and will be captured and beaten and any white men commanding them will be killed on the field if caught. But that didn't scare them away, they also though that they wouldn't really fight but there commanding officer Robert Gould Shaw took a stand. Because his men, his soldiers weren't getting shoes and socks and when his men got cut in there pay checks. People looked at Shaw differently and so did his soldiers. Cause when they started do you really think that these black men though that Shaw was on there side? No, they looked at him like any other white man someone getting payed to be in charge. After the 45th regiment took the lead in going into the war everyone saw that they were willing to die just like the guy next to him white or blck