Impressions Is there enough USCT reenactors out there?

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Aug 25, 2012
Being Black History Month I was wondering about USCT reenacting units. One would think most states would have a USCT reenacting unit, but I am not sure most states do. How often do reenactments include USCT units?

So if there is a shortage of USCT reenactors, why is this so?
 
I know of no units or reenactments that would exclude USCT. I saw some at the large events during the 125 and 135ths. They were guys who were in Glory and actually learned the REAL history of USCT and the role of blacks in 19th century society.

I would say that the lack of USCT is partly financial as reenacting isn't inexpensive. I would also say that history as taught in our schools is severely biased and not accurate so the possible black reenactor is not going to be exposed to truth in school about the military role of emancipated blacks. While a southerner, I don't subscribe to the "Lost Cause" completely, but my research while getting deep into the 19th century psyche led me to think as the kids today say, "It's complicated". There were multiple causes for the War. There were multiple reasons for any one person to get involved. If distilled to it's most basic reason, the actual, most basic root cause was money and power. Who had it, who wanted it and why. All the rest flows from that. If we look at how the War is covered in school, it's very cursory at best and the role of various races, groups, and religions is glossed over or ignored. So in my mind, it's due to ignorance of history.
 
I know of no units or reenactments that would exclude USCT. I saw some at the large events during the 125 and 135ths. They were guys who were in Glory and actually learned the REAL history of USCT and the role of blacks in 19th century society.

I would say that the lack of USCT is partly financial as reenacting isn't inexpensive. I would also say that history as taught in our schools is severely biased and not accurate so the possible black reenactor is not going to be exposed to truth in school about the military role of emancipated blacks. While a southerner, I don't subscribe to the "Lost Cause" completely, but my research while getting deep into the 19th century psyche led me to think as the kids today say, "It's complicated". There were multiple causes for the War. There were multiple reasons for any one person to get involved. If distilled to it's most basic reason, the actual, most basic root cause was money and power. Who had it, who wanted it and why. All the rest flows from that. If we look at how the War is covered in school, it's very cursory at best and the role of various races, groups, and religions is glossed over or ignored. So in my mind, it's due to ignorance of history.
Kinda curious, why would a reenactment of battles the first two years of the war would include units that didnt exist?

If accuracy to period/battle is important, would think fictional units that didnt exist then, wouldnt be encouraged.
 
I do see one here in Michigan. I have not information about other states.
 
Kinda curious, why would a reenactment of battles the first two years of the war would include units that didnt exist?

If accuracy to period/battle is important, would think fictional units that didnt exist then, wouldnt be encouraged.

That's not the issue. I can see how that would be relevant to a purist, but if you're putting on an event, would you turn away a USCT group? I wouldn't as it is a great opportunity for education both of the public and reenactors in general.

If we're going down the accuracy to a period/battle path, then that's a very, very deep can of worms.
 
That's not the issue. I can see how that would be relevant to a purist, but if you're putting on an event, would you turn away a USCT group? I wouldn't as it is a great opportunity for education both of the public and reenactors in general.

If we're going down the accuracy to a period/battle path, then that's a very, very deep can of worms.
I would think it would depend on if the organizers are wishing to reenact a specfic battle or event, or just some generic encampment
 
That's not the issue. I can see how that would be relevant to a purist, but if you're putting on an event, would you turn away a USCT group? I wouldn't as it is a great opportunity for education both of the public and reenactors in general.

If we're going down the accuracy to a period/battle path, then that's a very, very deep can of worms.

From what I have seen most reenactments can not afford to be too picky when it comes to reenactors else the reenactment would not have many reenactors. To be honest what percentage of the reenactors at an event are truly accurate? If you take out older men, overweight men, and women, what would be left? You would cut the number of reenators in half.
 
From what I have seen most reenactments can not afford to be too picky when it comes to reenactors else the reenactment would not have many reenactors. To be honest what percentage of the reenactors at an event are truly accurate? If you take out older men, overweight men, and women, what would be left? You would cut the number of reenators in half.
Here most the ones I've been to try to stay somewhat realistic. They were generally small battles. They try not to overrepresent things not present at all........seems if education is the goal, staying true to the history of the event would likewise be the goal, or your not presenting an actual history at all.

It would seem as silly to have two battery of cannon present for a battle that had none.
 
That's not the issue. I can see how that would be relevant to a purist, but if you're putting on an event, would you turn away a USCT group? I wouldn't as it is a great opportunity for education both of the public and reenactors in general.
Also,there are plenty of annual reenactments of battles where USCTs fought and plenty of living history events where existing USCT Reenactors/Living Historians can participate if they choose to.
 
Yep. Even just a good uniform and footwear isn't cheap.
I'll admit I dont reenact, though have attended a few and have found some of the threads here interesting. But thought this was a rather common sense question.....

If one is reenacting say Wilsons Creek or Bull Run, where there were no USCT present, and in actuality they didnt exist anywhere in the Union army in 1861, and having a USCT regt protrayal present would be acceptable.........It would seem the hobby/sport as far as accuracy to history would be far beyond arguing if a hat, boot, or musket is period or regt appropriate or actually was on the battlefield.
 
I'll admit I dont reenact, though have attended a few and have found some of the threads here interesting. But thought this was a rather common sense question.....

If one is reenacting say Wilsons Creek or Bull Run, where there were no USCT present, and in actuality they didnt exist anywhere in the Union army in 1861, and having a USCT regt protrayal present would be acceptable.........It would seem the hobby/sport as far as accuracy to history would be far beyond arguing if a hat, boot, or musket is period or regt appropriate or actually was on the battlefield.
Don't think major bill was trying to go that deep into the weeds. I know I'm not. This is what bill asked:
"How often do reenactments include USCT units?

So if there is a shortage of USCT reenactors, why is this so?"

There are plenty of period correct events for existing USCT reenactors/living historians to participate in. The real question is the shortage of USCT reenactors.
 
Don't think major bill was trying to go that deep into the weeds. I know I'm not. This is what bill asked:
"How often do reenactments include USCT units?

So if there is a shortage of USCT reenactors, why is this so?"

There are plenty of period correct events for existing USCT reenactors/living historians to participate in. The real question is the shortage of USCT reenactors.
OK the ""How often do reenactments include USCT units?" perhaps threw me.....if they didnt exist 2 years of a 4 year war, and when they did exist still constituted a small portion of the Union Army, it seemed rather common sense to conclude well less then 50%.

Do any white units reenact in blackface, seems units use women who try to appear as men from a distance? As Bill pointed out "If you take out older men, overweight men, and women, what would be left? You would cut the number of reenators in half." the hobby certainly makes concessions to fill roles in other instances, here cav especially seems to use women portraying men. Cav is by far the most under represented here.

As a non reenacter reading the threads, thats what gets confusing, is accuracy to historical reenacting to events important or not? If representing the actual troops present isnt important.....then in reality your "impression" isnt either, you can be any fictional thing

Edit added- Honestly would think the lack of USCT during half the war would be as much an opportunity to teach and explain the US attitudes and policies towards blacks during the war, as their presence would be, as it certainly would be historical.
 
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There is a USCT reenactment group out of Chicago. They are fantastic! We see them at the event at Princeton, IL. They even over-ran our artillery there and did a fine job! A great bunch of guys with a commitment to history!
Once, at an event in Wasioja, Minnesota, they were there. They were asked to leave because no USCT troops were at the battle that the event put on. As a Confederate reenactor, I thought to ask them to leave was disgusting. They were there to have a good time and to teach history, same as me.....
 
How often do reenactments include USCT units?
I believe there are some who participate in the annual reenactment of the Battle of Natural Bridge. They would be welcome at the annual Port Hudson reenactment. USCTs fought there and there are 256 USCTs buried at the nearby Port Hudson National Cemetery.
 
There are many USCT reenactors out there, but I don't have a number. FYI, @Yulie provided this directory of USCT units throughout the US, which was created in 2014: usct-directory-december-15-2014. I've spent time with a lot of guys doing events in the PA-MD-DC-VA region, and they do great work.

Are there "enough?" I don't think there's ever enough, I'd like to see more myself. It's an expensive hobby, to be sure. The current "business model" for reenacting is that an individual becomes interested in reenacting, discovers a local reenacting group, and then invests his own money to be properly outfitted and equipped. That is cost prohibitive for a lot of people.

There are other issues which could be discussed, but I will pass on that for now. However, I would give my own opinion that, as nice as it is to see USCT at battlefield reenactments, their presence as living historians at non-battlefield reenactment events and places, such as schools, libraries, even holiday parades, is perhaps more useful. There's a large group of people who don't go to reenactment events, but benefit from what reenactors/living historians can teach in a school setting, for example.

FYI, this is from a quick Google search of images featuring USCT reenactors. These are some other images which I could quickly/easily access featuring USCT reenactors in the past 10 years. Consider this a small sample of USCT reenactor involvement in various events.

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African American Civil War Living Historians at Emancipation Day Activities in Tallahassee, FL in May 2017
Source: Tallahassee Democrat, photo by Ashley White

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Civil War reenactors/living historians Ed Gantt, Marquett Milton, and Michael Schaffner at the dedication of Freedmans Village Bridge in Arlington, Virginia, September 2015. Milton is holding the regimental flag of the XXV Army Corps of the United States army. The XXV Corps, which was created during the American Civil War, was composed entirely of soldiers from the
United States Colored Troops.
Image Source: Courtesy Ed Gasaway of the African American Civil War Museum


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USCT Living Historians march through Richmond, Virginia in 2015, commemorating the capture of the CSA Capital during the Civil War
Source:
From Timothy Fredrikson at the Stories of the United States Colored Troops Facebook Page
In April of 2015, a detachment of United States Colored Troops marched from Rockett’s Landing on the James River, through the streets of Richmond, & to Capitol Hill … where the proud colors of the U.S.C.T. flew to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the fall & occupation of Richmond.



This Youtube video, from the C-SPAN network, provides footage from an 2015 reenactment of the Grand Review Parade in Washington, DC. It includes useful commentary from Dr. Malcolm Beech, a USCT reenactor/living historian, who is the president of the USCTLHA – the USCT Living History Association:


An extended video of the reenactment, and additional comments from Dr. Malcolm Beech about the USCT Living History Association, is here, from the C-SPAN network.

These are additional photos from that event:

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Banner for the 25th Army Corps, which was comprised solely of USCT regiments.

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USCT Reenactors at the 2011 Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade. Several of the female reenactors are from FREED (Female Re-Enactors of Distinction), a reenactors group based in Washington, DC.

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USCT Reenactors at the 2011 Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade. The person on the left is Dr. Franklin Smith, who heads the African American Civil War Museum in Washington, DC.

usct-spotsylvania-gttsbrg-2011.jpg

USCT Reenactors at the 2011 Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade. I believe the man to the far left is James Price, who published The Sable Arm, a blog about the United States Colored Troops.

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US Colored Troops reenactors/living historians at the 2010 Pennsylvania Grand Review commemoration in Harrisburg Pennsylvania.
Image Source:
Courtesy Yulanda Burgess.


- Alan
 
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