On May 4, 1865, the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, one of the first official African American regiments in the Union Army, was honorably disbanded after the end of the U.S. Civil War. Composed largely of formerly enslaved men, the regiment proved African Americans could fight courageously and effectively. Their service challenged racist assumptions of the era and paved the way for broader Black participation in the U.S. military. Many veterans went on to advocate for Reconstruction-era reforms and civil rights, demonstrating that their fight for freedom extended far beyond the battlefield.
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