Mural Honors Black Civil War Regiment
Massachusetts is honoring the black Civil War regiment celebrated in the movie “Glory” with a mural to be draped across the Statehouse.
The massive scrim, which will hide a $42-million renovation of the capitol, shows members of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry marching and carrying rolled blankets and rifles.
“It’s an extraordinary image and an extraordinary story,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Administration and Finance Stephen Crosby, who first suggested wrapping the Statehouse in murals during the three-year renovation.
The 68-foot-by-170-foot cloth reproduces the first monument to black veterans, a sculpture across the street from the Statehouse by Augustus Saint-Gaudens that took 14 years to complete.
It is dominated by the figure of the regiment’s white commander, Col. Robert Gould Shaw, mounted on his horse.
The 1989 movie “Glory” inspired many to dedicate themselves to preserving the story of the regiment. Benny White, a 56-year-old Vietnam veteran, portrays a 54th sergeant in reenactments.
“It means more to me because I am African-American, but it’s not just about African-Americans. It should have a broader meaning. It should be for everyone to enjoy, not just us,” said White.
The regiment formed after President Lincoln announced in the Emancipation Proclamation that black men would be accepted into the U.S. Army and Navy.
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