The movie Glory is about the 54th Regiment from Massachusetts. This was the first fully African-American Regiment. The movie starts at Antietam, where Robert Gould Shaw is first introduced. He is then commissioned and given the rank of Colonel. There are then a series of problems that stem from the race of the soldiers. They are then moved from Massachusetts, where they are stationed, to South Carolina. This presents more issues with prejudice. After threatening to blackmail him, General Harker allows the 54th Regiment to fight. Following their victory there, Colonel Shaw offers to lead the battle against Fort Wagner, even though he was warned of the danger. He still volunteered and suffered mass casualties, and he died as well. A major I felt satisfied by the movie because it was historically accurate however it also left me very sad, because of the ending that left half the infantrymen dead. The movie is well written, the scenes flow easily and there are no giant gaps in the plot. The movie is unique because it does not fool any punches. Instead of simply discussing the events that occurred, they are often viscerally shown. However, there isn’t gratuitous violence simply for the sake of blood. The director fully actualized the idea of recreating the 54th Regiment and this is best supported by training scenes where the recruits are harshly trained, reflecting the same treatment actual soldiers underwent. However, the director while being accurate, is slightly biased towards the members of 54th Regiment, and doesn’t consider the view of how an all African-American group was a risky choice. The information presented in the movie peaked my curiosity in respect to the training of all soldiers in the Civil War, as well as war
Sam R. Watkins was a Confederate soldier from Columbia, Tennessee. At age twenty-one, Watkins joined the First Tennessee Regiment along with one hundred and nineteen other young men and boys. He was one of only seven men to survive every one of its battles. He writes a memoir twenty years after being in the war about his experience as a private. Watkins juxtaposes stories of horror and gruesome death with humorous memories throughout his four years in the war.
The Harlem Hellfighters were originally called the 369th infantry during WW1. They got there nickname from Germany. German soldiers were called the “Hellfighters.” The 369th infantry was made up of all African Americans from Harlem, NY. Therefore, the 369th infantry got its nickname the “Harlem Hellfighters.” These African American men had many hardships throughout the 1900s. “The first all-black fighting unit to arrive in France was New York’s 369th Infantry.” (Martin) The motto of the 369th Infantry was “God damn, let’s go.” The 369th Infantry “spent 191 days in the front-line trenches, that’s more than any other unit during WW1. There was often nothing between the German Army and Paris but these black volunteers from New York.” (Martin) “A. Phillip Randolph was pessimistic about what the war would mean for black Americans. He pointed out that Negroes had sacrificed their blood on the battlefields of every American War since the Revolution, but it still had not brought them full citizenship.” (National Archives) The 369th infantry were actually not allowed to participate in the farewell parade of New York’s National Guard, the so-called Rainbow division. The reason was that “black isn’t a color of the Rainbow.” (National Archives)
In its best moments, the movie is a strong, anti-war documentary. It has truly moving moments of bereaved loved ones, mangled bodies in the streets, incredulous soldiers in Iraq, angry Iraqis and innocent teenagers being manipulated into enlisting. In this way, the movie presents a version of the war on Iraq that isn't shown much in the media. It improves our understanding of the war by giving it a human face.
Throughout his speech, Green makes emotion appeals to help bring the African American people to fight in the war. The usage of strong diction and metaphor help persuade the audience to join the army. This motivation can be seen when he describes the hardships being a black man in a white society; however, the Black community should still join the battle with a “burning zeal and enthusiasm for the field of battle which inspires other men in full enjoyment of every civil and ...
Although it was very graphic it explained the horrific mistreatment of the slaves that were packed in so tightly they couldn’t even move on their sides and describing it as a slaughterhouse. I found it interesting how in previous history textbooks I had read in high school the conditions of the transportation of slaves had not been explained in such a gruesome way. It was useful in trying to comprehend the unspeakable living conditions in which the slaves had to live
The Civil War, a period of four years in the United States filled with bloody combat, thousands of casualties, and the destruction of much of Southern infrastructure. Although the Civil War had various causes (economy, politics, etc.), it mainly originated from the pressing issue of slavery at the time, mainly its expansion into the Western territories. As we all know, slavery was one of the most horrific times in our nation’s history, yet it was a typical and normal thing for the people of the 19th century. The film, Glory (1989), directed by Edward Zwick, doesn’t necessarily depict the horrors of slavery, however it does show 19th century America’s attitude toward African Americans, as well as the average African American’s hunger for freedom. The film begins with its protagonist, Colonel Shaw, being found by gravedigger John Rawlins (who later becomes a soldier in the Civil War). He is sent to a field hospital, and after he’s clear to leave, he visits his family at their plantation, where he meets Frederick Douglass, and is offered the position of Colonel for the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. He accepts the promotion, and invites his old friend, Major Forbes, to be his right hand man in leading the infantry. He accepts as well, and soon after, black soldiers quickly volunteer, of these including Rawlins, Searles, Trip, etc., which will become important factors in the plot of the movie. Throughout the film, it is clear how each character is very different from each other, for example, Private Trip, is very stubborn and rude, while Private Searles is much more calm, peaceful, and weakish. Yet as the plot progresses, the characters slowly and gradually mold into different personalities, some going through more changes than others. ...
The American Civil War is perhaps the most important event in U.S. history since the American Revolution. Over half a million men would perish between the Union and Confederate Armies. It is important to know that Ulysses S. Grant was an important figure (perhaps the most important behind Abraham Lincoln) in the war. Many will see him as the hero of the American Civil War. Nevertheless there were others who would play an important role to help the Union win the Civil War. The implementation of black soldiers was crucial to the Union in order to achieve victory against the Confederate Army. Yet, the contributions and accomplishments of black soldiers during the Civil War were overlooked for nearly a century following the Civil War. However, within the last 30 years, many scholars and historians have begun to publish books on the history of black soldiers and their contributions to the Civil War. During the Civil War, free blacks were permitted to serve in the Union Army. But it was not until 1863, that black soldiers would see combat and charge against the confederate armies. It is estimated that around 186,000 African American served the Union Army throughout the war, with the creation of 163 colored regiments. My research paper will focus on the Black regiments of the American Civil War and their importance to U.S. history. Some of the important issues that will be discussed in this paper will include the struggles of black soldiers during the Civil War, from their wage earnings (where most made less money than white soldiers); the clothes they wore (most had no uniforms at all). Also, many of these soldiers had trouble getting the basic necessities like shoes, socks and soap. Other areas I will discuss will be the discriminatio...
Glatthaar’s essay “Black Glory: The African-American Role in Union Victory” focuses on the important roles of African Americans in the Civil War. Although prominent in the Navy the Army is where blacks needed to make their mark. Originally blacks were a resource for the Confederate Army. They picked up where the white soldiers left off on the home front and behind the lines of battle. A quote from “General in Chief Henry Halleck to Grant, “Every slave withdrawn from the enemy is equivalent to a white man put hors de combat [out of action]” (146) shows acknowledgement of this. Glatthaar expands on how the Union enlisting black soldiers freed up many of the seasoned white soldiers. Many Union soldiers were prejudice and did not view them as equals. “Blacks had to fight Confederates in the front and discrimination in the rear.” (155) This essay supports how over time there grew comradery between black and white soldiers however post war, whites began to minimize the value of their black brothers in arms. What Glatthaar does best is point out that even though their battles were not as glorified in the public eye their efforts began before they took up arms in the war and they were a crucial part of the Union
Glory Road is a 2006 sports film directed by James Gartner starring Josh Lucas and Derek Luke. The film portrays the story of how Don Haskins had the first all black starting lineup in the NCAA and led Texas Western to a national championship. Along the way, the players and Coach Haskins face great adversity throughout the season because of their all black starting lineup. As the season progresses, the threats continuously grow worse and eventually are directed towards the family of Coach Haskins. This problem continues to grow due to the fact that Texas Western’s team gains national recognition not only for being the first with an all black starting lineup, but for making i through the regular season with only a single loss As the movie progress the audience sees one of the players get beaten because of his race. Another scene shows a hotel room that has been completely trashed because it was where the black athletes were staying. I will prove that that this scene where the hotel room is trashed is racist towards the black athletes.
Out of a scale of 5(as being the best), I would give it a 4 and a half. The movie had a real good plot. It showed an American soldier leave his post and communicates with the Indians, which was very shunned upon. The American got very friendly with the Indians and also had a liking towards one of the females. While there relationship goit stronger they got married and when he went back to his post to get some things, he was caught by his troops, which thought he was an Indian. When they found out he was a soldier who became an Indian, they were going to try him of treason. While he was on his way back home, the Indians came and saved him from the white men.
Before WORLD WAR I, military service represented a source of black pride. Black educators, clergymen, and the press frequently referred to Negro heroes of America’s past wars. After the Civil War, the U.S, Army maintained four regular Negro regiments –the 9th and 10th Calvary and the 24th and 25th Infantry. These units included veterans of the civil war and the frontier Indian fighting regiments. Retired sergeants often became respected, conservative leaders in their communities. This history set a foundation for black support and involvement in America’s future wars.
Many of the African American soldiers wanted to offer their skills in the war but they could not because of their skin color they had to often have kitchen duty, cleaning beds, and
The movie “Glory” tells the history and the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. It became the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War. The Regiment was made up of black soldiers – some were Northern freemen, some were escaped slaves. The leader was General Robert Gould Shaw, the son of Boston abolitionists. The men of the 54th Regiment proved themselves worthy of the freedom for which they fighting, and the respect of their fellow white soldiers.
This movie is a wonderful production starting from 1960 and ending in 1969 covering all the different things that occurred during this unbelievable decade. The movie takes place in many different areas starring two main families; a very suburban, white family who were excepting of blacks, and a very positive black family trying to push black rights in Mississippi. The movie portrayed many historical events while also including the families and how the two were intertwined. These families were very different, yet so much alike, they both portrayed what to me the whole ‘message’ of the movie was. Although everyone was so different they all faced such drastic decisions and issues that affected everyone in so many different ways. It wasn’t like one person’s pain was easier to handle than another is that’s like saying Vietnam was harder on those men than on the men that stood for black rights or vice versa, everyone faced these equally hard issues. So it seemed everyone was very emotionally involved. In fact our whole country was very involved in president elections and campaigns against the war, it seemed everyone really cared.
It is the evening before a powerful and epic battle with more than victory at stake. Tomorrow, the 54th regiment will forever stamp themselves as a symbol of hope and freedom in a new world during an attack on Fort Wagner as soldiers for the North. Dozens of men with young children, wives, and an idealistic dream of a free world will die in a matter of hours. As the Northern soldiers gather on this night before war, there are no tears of fear to be shed. The din in the air is that of song and the feeling is that of an inspirational victory. On this night before their death, slaves turned soldiers have put aside their personal differences and become one; a metaphoric battle has been won. This is one of the final scenes from the movie Glory, a power depiction of the heroic efforts of the first African American regiment during the Civil War. The deep, multiple plot layers, and moving acting performances in Glory create a captivating viewing experience.