African American Civil War Memorial

During the Civil War, 209,145 black soldiers and 7,800 white officers fought for freedom. After the war, many of these soldiers returned home as war heroes and helped build families, schools, churches, and businesses in neighborhoods such as the historic U Street Shaw Cardozo community. In 1998, a public-private partnership organized by Honorable Frank Smith, Jr., through the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation Inc., brought together the District Government, the Washington Metro, and the National Park Service to create this memorial. Its Wall of Honor drew names from the official records of the National Archives with help from the National Park Service, the Mormon Church, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and many volunteers. The monument was authorized by Congress in 1992, designed overall by Devrouax and Purnell led by Ed Dunson and Barbara Laurie, and features Ed Hamilton’s Spirit of Freedom, cast by the New Arts Foundry in Baltimore under the guidance of the D. C. Department of Arts and Humanities. The African American Civil War Memorial Foundation also operates a museum at 1200 U Street with tours, artifacts, documents, an annual program, and a Book of Names, while symbols on the Wall of Honor indicate name separations, possible service in more than one regiment, and soldiers sharing the exact same name within a regiment.

Washington, District of Columbia · United States