Originally published on July 17, 2019 (Episode 120)
Introduction
On July 18, 1863, the 54th Massachusetts Regiment led a desperate assault on Fort Wagner outside Charleston. Of the 624 men who attacked, half were killed, wounded, or captured. Their valor electrified the Union cause and redefined the meaning of the Civil War.
Ray Anthony Shepard recounts the regiment’s story in Now or Never! 54th Massachusetts Infantry’s War to End Slavery (Penguin, 2017), which while written for young readers is also compelling reading for adults. We discuss the courage of the men, the prejudice they faced, how their service helped transform the Union war into a fight for freedom, and how he set about writing a book for young adults.
About the Guest
Ray Anthony Shepard is an author, teacher, and editor. Now or Never! is his first work of creative nonfiction.
For Further Investigation
Ray Anthony Shepard, Now or Never! 54th Massachusetts Infantry’s War to End Slavery (Penguin, 2017)
The Massachusetts Historical Society’s collections on the 54th Massachusetts
Related Episodes
“Black Suffrage”—the fight for Black voting rights following Lincoln’s assassination
“True Blue”—why white Southerners fought for the Union, often for very different reasons than did the 54th Massachusetts
Listen & Discuss
What made the 54th’s attack at Fort Wagner so symbolically important?
How did racism shape their service and memory?
How should we tell their story to both children and adults?
If you know someone who still thinks the Civil War was not about slavery, share this episode with them.
