A Civil War history talk scheduled Saturday, Feb. 23, at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is a nod to Black History Month. "A War for Freedom: Freedom Fighters on Many Fronts" will begin at 2 p.m. at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center, 3370 LaFayette Road, Fort Oglethorpe.
Park ranger Lee White will lead this program on the important roles played by blacks in seizing their freedom, then struggling to emancipate their homeland in the first steps toward civil rights and equality.
"The desire for and promise of freedom were great for African-Americans," organizers said in a news release. "With Chattanooga falling into Union hands, it became a beacon of freedom for thousands of enslaved men and women who now saw an opportunity to escape the harsh reality of slavery."
According to park historians, many enlisted to be soldiers in the U.S. Colored Troops. Others took the opportunity to support the Union army in other ways.
For more information, call the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, or visit the park's website at www.nps.gov/chch.
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