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I am a nineteenth-century U.S. historian who researches the African Americans who participated in the  Civil War. The men served as soldiers in the United States Colored Troops (USCT), the segregated federal regiments created during the conflict, and as sailors in the U.S. Navy.

My first project focuses on the 27th USC Infantry, the second of two regiments raised in Ohio. Although I completed a book, For Their Own Cause: The 27th United States Colored Troops in 2016, I am still researching the soldiers and officers of the regiment. I host a Facebook group where descendants and anyone interested in learning more can share. You can read about my other research findings on my webpage, Black Men in Lincoln Blue.

My latest publication, "'The Colored Veteran Soldiers Should Receive the Same Tender Care': Soldiers' Homes, Race, and the Post-Civil War Midwest" is available in The War Went On: Reconsidering the Lives of Civil War Veterans. My chapter-length study on the men in the USCT who served as sentinels over Confederate prisoners of war in the Midwest can be found in Crossing the Deadlines: Civil War Prisons Reconsidered. I am currently working on an edited volume of letters sent between the African American men who served in the Union army and navy and their families at home during the war.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my research is the opportunity to communicate and share information with descendants of the the Black men who served in the USCT and U.S. Navy.

I also enjoy meeting the people who attend my talks as part of the Ohio Humanities Speakers Bureau. I always learn something new about the local history from the audience members who support the community programs.

Please feel free to contact me using the form below if you would like to discuss my research, have any questions about the 27th USCT, or would like to arrange a speaking engagement. You can visit the Ohio Humanities Speakers Bureau page for my public talk topics. Thank you for stopping by.