Rappahannock's Freedom Fighters

 The year 1865 marked the end of the Civil War and the dawn of abolition. Following the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, 209,145 men served in the United States Colored Troops (USCT), turning the tide of the war toward freedom. Among these heroes were 5,723 Virginians, including 53 men born right here in Rappahannock County.

Source: African American Civil War Memorial Museum — afroamcivilwar.org

To preserve this history, a list of Rappahannock soldiers, a historical map, and a U.S. flag previously flown over the White House are temporarily housed at the Scrabble School Preservation Museum.

We thank Zann Nelson, Founder and CEO of Righting the Record, for her research and documentation of the United States Colored Troops. Her organization’s mission is “Correcting the Past, Honoring the Forgotten.” Learn more at rightingtherecord.org.

For additional information about this local history, contact the Graffiti House at  bsfgh1863@gmail.com.

If any of these soldiers are your ancestors, please contact the AAARC so we may continue to honor their names and preserve their service. HERE