Lesson 2.23 Notes (PDF) — BLACK AMERICANS IN THE CIVIL WAR

Center the voices and sacrifices of Black Americans in the Civil War with this guided notes slide deck for Unit 2 of the AP African American Studies course. Lesson 2.23 explores how free and enslaved Black men and women fought for, worked for, and supported the Union cause. It follows the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the inequalities Black soldiers faced, the violence of the New York City Draft Riots, and the legacy of Black military service.

📝 What's Included:

• ✅ 20-slide Guided Notes Slide Deck (PDF + printable)
• 🖥️ Link to Editable version (Google Slides)
• 📸 A visual gallery of African American Civil War soldiers
• 🎖️ Spotlight slides on the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, including the attack on Fort Wagner (1863) and the Battle of Milliken's Bend (1863)
• 🎬 A film clip feature using a scene from Glory, with a built-in content warning for intense combat violence
• ⚖️ Notes on the inequalities Black soldiers faced in the military
• 🔥 Notes and visual sources on anti-Black civil unrest and the New York City Draft Riots (1863)
• 🧠 Guided note-taking throughout, including slides on the impact and legacy of Black military service

📚 Students Will Learn About:

• 🏃🏾 How thousands of free and enslaved Black Americans joined the Union cause as soldiers, builders, nurses, cooks, spies, and washerwomen
• 🛶 Why enslaved people who fled to Union territory were labeled "contrabands"
• 🤝 How Northern Black communities raised money and provided aid
• 🎖️ The service of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment at Fort Wagner and Milliken's Bend
• ⚖️ Why Black soldiers were at first excluded from the Union Army, and the unequal pay and heightened risks they faced
• 🔥 How the Draft Riots reflected white fears of Black citizenship and equality, and how Black neighborhoods were attacked
• 🏆 The impact and legacy of Black military service, and how poetry and photography preserved its memory

🎯 Perfect For:

• ✔ AP African American Studies (Topic 2.23)
• ✔ 9th–12th Ethnic Studies, African American History, or U.S. History enrichment
• ✔ Black History Month lessons
• ✔ Visual and historical image analysis
• ✔ Lessons exploring African American contributions to the Civil War

📎 Formats:

✅ Ready-to-print PDF
✅ Includes link to Editable Google Slide Deck
✅ Class-ready in 15 minutes or less
✅ Download once. Use every year.

🖥️📝 LESSON 2.23 NOTES PREVIEW:

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