Military History/civil war movie Glory
Phillip Griswold wrote at 2014-11-09 21:20:56
Colonel Shaw did in fact care about African Americans and their plight. When he was offered the position of leading the 54th, he took the position even though he knew he would likely face ridicule for it, and he did it because he and his family believed blacks were equal to whites. He wrote to his fiancee, "after I have undertaken this work, I shall feel that what I have to do is to prove that a negro can be made a good soldier...". At the time, many believed that blacks would not be courageous or victorious fighters, but Shaw and his circle of Abolitionist friends believed they would fight well, and to prove it he risked his career, his reputation and, in the end, his life.
Source: One Gallant Rush: Robert Gould Shaw and His Brave Black Regiment, pp75. Copyright Peter Burchard, 1965. Published by St. Martin's Press. Pp75.