The Civil War affected the African American community in central Pennsylvania in many ways.  Confederate invasions caused upheaval in all communities as free citizens, former fugitive slaves, and "contrabands," slaves who fled north as Union troops liberated their homes, scrambled to get away from advancing Rebels who they feared would capture them and take them south into slavery. 

 Study Areas:

Enslavement

Anti-Slavery

Free Persons of Color

Underground Railroad

The Violent Decade

US Colored Troops

Civil War

Year of Jubilee (1863)

20th Century

Others contributed to the war effort in many ways:  by raising aid for soldiers, working in camps and hospitals, recruiting men for the new African American regiments, and by enlisting to serve in those regiments. These pages will document the varied contributions of African Americans to the war effort in central Pennsylvania.  

November 6, 2010

Harrisburg's 2010 Grand Review Commemoration

Event Photos

 

All photos by George F. Nagle

As part of it's Sesquicentennial Celebration, the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania invited Civil War re-enactors and volunteers to re-create the historic "Grand Review of Colored Troops" that occurred in the city in 1865. That earlier event, coming months after the end of the Civil War, sought to remedy the injustice wrought by federal officials on African American soldiers by excluding them from the celebratory "Grand Review of Troops" in Washington, DC. African American citizens from all over the country, but chiefly in Pennsylvania, organized a similar review for all soldiers of the United States Colored Troops to assemble and parade through the streets of Harrisburg and then assemble at the home of Simon Cameron, where the stateman addressed them and praised their service.

The 2010 commemoration of this significant and historic event brought hundreds of re-enectors to the city to re-create the parade, listen to speakers, and view historic exhibits. The photographs below were taken at the activities on Saturday, November 6, 2010 and are clickable for high-resolution versions.

Videos of the parade may be found here.

Re-enactors gather on Market Street in front of the Harrisburg History Center  Close up photo of re-enactors.  USCT re-enactors assemble for parade.  USCT re-enactors  USCT re-enactors  Civil War re-enactors  Civil War re-enactors  Civil War re-enactors  Close up of USCT re-enactors  Close up of USCT re-enactor  Attendees gather before the parade to listen to speakers.  Young Civil War and USCT re-enactors  Young Civil War and USCT re-enactors assemble.  Civil War re-enactors assemble before parade.  Young USCT re-enactors line up for parade.  Civil War re-enactors assemble for parade.  Civil War civilian re-enactors assemble  USCT Re-enactors line up for parade.  Close up of young USCT re-enactors in line.  Ready to begin parade.  Parade color guard re-enactors.  Parade color guard re-enactors.  Parade color guard re-enactors.  Parade reaches Front Street.  Parade re-enactors on Front Street.  Grand Review parade on Front Street.  Civilian re-enactors on Front Street.  Civil War civilian re-enactors on Front Street.  Civil War civilian re-enactors on Front Street.  Civil War civilian re-enactors on Front Street.  Civil War civilian re-enactors parade on Front Street.  Grand Review parade on Front Street.  Grand Review dignitaries in carriages on Front Street.  USCT re-enactors assemble at Harris-Cameron mansion.  USCT re-enactors at the Harris-Cameron mansion.  Close up of USCT re-enactor at Harris-Cameron mansion.  USCT color-bearers at Harris-Cameron mansion.  Portrait of USCT color-bearer.  USCT re-enactors listen to speech at Harris-Cameron mansion.  USCT re-enactors assembled for speech at Harris-Cameron mansion.  View of assembled crowd at Harris-Cameron mansion.  Civil War officer re-enactors pose on Capitol steps after parade.  Civil war civilian re-enactors pose on Capitol steps after parade.  History exhibits inside state buildings during event.  African American history exhibits set up during event.  Attendees viewing the history exhibits during event.  Attendees viewing the history exhibits during the event.  Attendees viewing the history exhibits during the event.  African American enslavement exhibit at event.  Close-up picture of slave collars exhibited at event.  Exhibit of historic fire-fighting equipment. 

Read the book! Full text availabale on this site. Click the cover image to read it. Support the Afrolumens Project!
About the AP | Contact AP | Mission Statement