Union Soldier

Art by S. Christopher James. African Americans comprised about 10% of the Union Army during the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 allowed for their enlistment, and approximately 180,000 African American soldiers served in the Union forces by the war’s end. This is a mixed-media composition comprised of subtle messaging. For example, the layering of the gesso connotes a slow washing out of a significant part of American history either by choice or lack of interest. Within the collage is a very faint word play that says “African American history”, “American History” and “A history”. A piece of the recruitment poster for enlisting is also part of the collage.