C.R. Gibbs speaks to the Civil War Round Table of the District of Columbia on the topic of "1st Regiment USCT."
The presentation was made on March 10, 2015, at McNair Officers' Club in Washington D.C.
Questions and answers follow presentation.
Historian C.R. Gibbs will speak of the creation of the United States Colored Troops and their service during the Civil War. Over 180,000 African-Americans enlisted in the USCT, constituting 10% of the Union Army by the end of the Civil War. Soldiers of the USCT served with distinction in every theater of the war and nearly 40,000 never returned. Although placed in segregated units, the Civil War service of African-American soldiers marked a major advancement toward equal civil rights and helped create opportunity for Black Americans.
C.R. Gibbs is the author/co-author of six books and a frequent national and international lecturer on an array of topics. He has appeared on the History Channel, French and Belgian television, and wrote, researched, and narrated "Sketches in Color," a 13 part companion series to the acclaimed PBS series "The Civil War" for the Howard University television station.
In 1989, Mr. Gibbs founded the African History & Culture Lecture Series whose scholars continue to provide free presentations at libraries, churches, schools, and other locations in the Washington-Baltimore area. In 2002, he authored "Black, Copper, and Bright," the first book ever written on the District of Columbia's African-American Civil War Regiment. In 2008, he was awarded by the mayor of the District of Columbia for excellence in historic preservation public education. In 2009, Mr. Gibbs was honored by the Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust for many years of articles and presentations on African-Americans in the U.S. armed forces.
Mr. Gibbs provided historical commentary for WUSA Channel 9 for both the dedication of the King memorial and the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.
For additional information about Mr. Gibbs and his presentations, listeners can visit: www.portofharlem.net/cgibbs.
_____________________________________________
For information about the Round Table and to apply for membership, click HERE or the "About Us / Membership" Tab above.
