Celebrating Black History Month

May 22

In recognition of Black History Month, NPP looks back at the significant contributions of Black leaders linked to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. The brave actions and dedicated service of notable figures such as Jacob Cummings and our own living legend, John Edwards, III shaped the narrative of our city and our nation, and continue to inspire generations of Americans.

JACOB CUMMINGS: ESCAPING FROM MOCCASIN BEND

Jacob Cummings began his courageous escape from enslavement on Moccasin Bend at the age of 23, two decades before the Civil War began. Known then as Jacob Smith, or "Jake" to his friends, he had lived a hard life. He was born a slave of James Smith, a cruel master with a quick temper. Smith was a farmer, owning two separate plantations on Moccasin Bend and Walden's Ridge. Although Jacob was one of fourteen children by his mother, Smith sold off all but three of his siblings before Jacob met them. The overseer, Welsh, was as ruthless as Smith; Jacob and the others were forced to work from before dawn until eleven or twelve o'clock at night.

Read the suspenseful tale of Jacob’s courageous escape HERE.

MAJOR CHARITY ADAMS: NO MAIL, NO MORALE

Once the United States entered War II, Fort Oglethorpe became an inductions and processing center as well as a major training center for the Women’s Army Corps. The 6888th Central postal Battalion was the first Black WAC unit sent overseas during the war. Major Charity Adams led this battalion, over 800 women, as they deployed overseas to face a seemingly insurmountable task.

Find out how they pulled it off, and meet more of the women who did it HERE

BOOKER TALIAFERRO WASHINGTON: QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

In 1912, a friendship was forged between a former slave and the child of Jewish immigrants that educated over 663,000 African American students across the rural South. This improbable kinship between Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald changed lives, fostered community growth and altered the landscape of philanthropy. The Rosenwald Schools required matching funds from predominantly white school boards in addition to self-help and matching construction funds from African-American communities. Their unique matching model empowered communities as the driving force defining what the school and education meant to them.

Read more about the revolutionary leader and the Rosenwald Schools HERE

UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS: WORK LEFT YET UNDONE

For many, the contributions of the United States Colored Troops throughout the duration of the Civil War may be little known. The Battle of Nashville illustrates both the struggles and successes of these men as they served the nation with courage and valor. It was the scene of one of the most pivotal battles in which USCT fought as they opposed the last remnants of Hood's Army of Tennessee. After witnessing their bravery and courage during the battle, General George Thomas turned to aides and said, "The question is settled, Negro soldiers will fight. " Oddly enough, Chattanooga's 44th USCT was one of the units that were involved at the Battle and served with the same honor and distinction that they had displayed at Dalton several months earlier. On a national scale, the USCT would be recognized for their service at Milken's Bend, Fort Wagner, Fort Pillow, and the Battle of the Crater. Contrary to the resplendent platitudes bestowed by General Thomas on that frigid December day in Nashville, not only had the USCT served with valor on the battlefield, but they had long assisted the effort to preserve the Union, and by that virtue gain a much sought after freedom that would make the principles that the nation professed ring true for all.

Read more about the contributions of US Colored Troops, and meet some notable soldiers HERE

THE STRUGGLE AND CELEBRATION OF EMANCIPATION

On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation went became law. However, Tennessee was specifically omitted by the document. Essentially, all enslaved persons within the state, including those in the Gateway City (still in Confederate hands until September 1863), found themselves no closer to actual freedom than when they lay down their heads on December 31, 1862. The nation’s laws, which affected those enslaved, including the 3/5 Compromise, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Dred Scott decision, and all the state and local slave codes, remained in effect and enforceable within the Volunteer State.

Read about the people who continued to fight for, and eventually win, their freedom in Tennessee HERE.

JOHN EDWARDS, III: CIVIL WAR TO CIVIL RIGHTS

Longtime National Park Partners board member, John Edwards, III, is the Executive Editor, owner, and founder of the Chattanooga News-Chronicle, our city’s prominent African American newspaper focused on the needs and news of Chattanooga’s Black community. As a Vietnam Veteran, John also serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. His perspective enriches our organization and helps us grow as we seek to connect all people through the layers of history and stories that can be seen, told, and shared through the lens of the national park. In 2019, John helped National Park Partners develop and lead a Civil War To Civil Rights walking tour of downtown, Chattanooga, including the corner of Market Street where the firehoses were first used on Civil Rights demonstrators in this country.

National Park Partners Executive Director, Tricia Mims, sat down with Edwards to talk about local black history and Edwards’ own path before, during, and after the Civil Rights movement. You can a transcript of that conversation HERE

HUBBARD PRYOR: SLAVE TO SOLDIER

Hubbard Pryor is most known for his photograph. Around the time he arrived in Chattanooga, a photographer captured an image of Hubbard Pryor in the tattered clothes of an enslaved man. Some time later, the photographer took Pryor's photo in the uniform of a United States soldier. The images were widely reprinted to not only recruit black men into the ranks, but also to show the northern public the transformative power of the war.