(AURN News) — On Sept. 25, 1861, the Union Navy opened its ranks to African Americans for the first time during the Civil War.
Many of these men were formerly enslaved people who risked everything to escape plantations and join the fight for freedom and for the Union cause.
Their service was marked by extraordinary bravery — eight African American sailors went on to receive the Medal of Honor for acts of courage in battle.
Yet progress came slowly. For decades, African Americans were barred from full participation in the Navy or restricted to roles such as mess attendants.
The Navy did not commission its first African American officers until February 1944.
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