Black Virginians in Blue
Welcome to the Nau Center's first digital project, Black Virginians in Blue. This project is dedicated to telling the largly unknown stories of the 251 Black soldiers and 6 Black sailors from Albemarle County and Charlottesville, Virginia, who served in the Union military during the American Civil War.
 
If this is your first visit to the site, we recommend reading our three overview essays to get a better understanding of the project's scope and findings (before the war, during the war, and after the war).
 
 
HIGHLIGHTS
Atlas views Essays and Stories Search Documents
Atlas
Two interactive maps pinpoint Albemarle County's Black soldiers’ and sailors' enlistments and when and where they left the army (mustering out) during the Civil War.
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Stories
Original essays reveal aspects of the lives of Albemarle County's Black soldiers and sailors. Essays include broad overviews, battle narratives, and regimental histories.
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Documents
Browse the database of military records, newspapers, letters, and pension files to learn more about individual Black soldiers and their families during and after the Civil War.
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