African American Civil War Memorial

Address:900 Ohio Drive SW
Washington, District of Columbia
Tel: (203) 834-1896

Visit the nation's only monument dedicated to African American Civil War soldiers! The African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation & Museum tells the largely unknown story of African American soldiers during the Civil War and their struggle for freedom.

Until recently, the role of the black military in the Civil War was not widely known. In fact, black soldiers fought in scores of battles in a dozen states, often leading the assault, as they did at Port Hudson, Nashville, Petersburg, and New Market Heights and suffered a casualty rate of 18 percent, as opposed to 13 percent for the Union Army as a whole. Today, the African American Civil War Memorial commemorates these men with inscriptions of the names of more than 209,000 United States Colored Troops who fought in the Union Army, inscribed on 157 burnished stainless steel plaques. Visitors can also see the Spirit of Freedom sculpture at the center of the plaza, designed by Louisville, Kentucky, artist Ed Hamilton. There is also a museum and interpretive center in the Prince Hill Lodge, next to the memorial, where visitors can learn more about the issues and events of the war, the battles in which the black troops fought, and can find out how to trace descendants of the soldiers. Photographs and historic documents add to the personal feel here, and a descendents registry is available for family members who have relatives that served with the United States Colored Troops.

The African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation & Museum is in Washington, D.C. at 1200 U St. NW. Learn more about the defenders of our country and honor them at this important memorial and museum.