Goldsboro’s Wayne County Museum Hosts “Fighting for Freedom: the 135th USCT, Black Soldiers of the Civil War”
The Wayne County Museum will be presenting their annual Black History exhibit in collaboration with the USCT Research Team, on the little-known Black soldiers of the Civil War. The special exhibition will open on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 10am. At 1pm on opening day, local reenactors will introduce visitors to these brave African-American soldiers, and help tell their stories.
This fascinating exhibit on Black Civil War history is free to the public and will run February 20 to May 1, 2021 at the Wayne County Museum, located at 116 N William Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
This exhibit will be an opportunity to explore a part of Goldsboro’s Black Civil War history that few people are aware of. The 135th was one of the many United States “Colored” Troops in the Union army who were fighting against the Confederacy and Slavery. This Black infantry division was enlisted in Goldsboro and marched with General Sherman’s troops.
Amy Bauer, USCT Research Team member and local author of the book on the 135th USCT Where Eagles come from, says: “Our goal is to honor the ex-slaves and freedmen of color that chose to be a part of the Union Army in order to help end the war and advance their families to freedom.”
There will be artifacts and documents of the 135th USCT and related Civil War items on display in the exhibit. In addition, there will be related special events, presentations and speakers occurring periodically throughout the four-month long duration of the exhibit.
Museum hours are Tuesdays-Fridays 11am-4pm, and Saturdays 10am-6pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays).
Visitors to the museum should observe pandemic safety measures including wearing masks and social distancing.
The Wayne County Museum’s mission is to discover, preserve, document and display artifacts and information pertaining to the heritage and history of Wayne County and its environs.
More information is available at www.waynemuseum.org, or www.135usct.org, or by calling the Wayne County Museum at 919.734.5023. For updates, Follow www.facebook.com/waynecountymuseum.
Source: Jennifer Kuykendall, Wayne County Historical Association and Museum
Ed. Note: Originally published January 22, 2021; edited February 8.