Men of Color to Arms, 1863

History
After President Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which allowed the enlistment of Black men into the Union army, Frederick Douglass took up the cause passionately. He traveled across the northern states, urging Black men to join the army with a powerful message: "MEN OF COLOR! TO ARMS! TO ARMS! NOW OR NEVER." Douglass and many others believed that victory in the war hinged on arming Black men. His dedication was personal; his youngest son, Charles, was the first to join the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, quickly followed by his eldest son, Lewis.

Source
Library of Congress (LOC)

Year
1863

Genre
Broadsides

Creator
Frederick Douglass

Digital ID
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/lprbscsm.scsm0556