The African American Civil War Memorial and Museum tells the largely unknown story of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), and honors the many soldiers who fought for freedom during the American Civil War. At the core of the Museum’s mission is the goal to serve the educational needs of its local, national and international community with a high-quality and effective learning experience while interpreting the history of the USCT troops and the community life of African Americans before and after the American Civil War.
The Museum is located in the heart of the U Street Corridor where churches and cultural institutions were once occasional stops on the Underground Railroad. Slaves and runaways held religious services in tents during the American Civil War – some tents became churches that now thrive along the Corridor.
The Civil War Memorial Sculpture and Wall of Honor form a stunning sight: the Spirit of Freedom sculpture portrays uniformed soldiers and a sailor at a height of ten feet with a family depicted on the back of the sculpture, and is situated in the center of a granite paved plaza encircled on three sides by the Wall of Honor. The wall lists the names of 209,145 soldiers of the United States Colored Troops, drawn from records at the National Archives, on 166 burnished stainless steel plaques arranged by regiment.
General Information
- Meet your Smithsonian Associates Rep no later than listed start time.
- While there is a small number of parking spaces available to the public located off of 9 1/2 St, space is limited, your best bet is using METRO.
