In 1861, the south’s threats of seceding the union led to the start of the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln’s primary goal was to minimize secession talks. But, as black slaves who were forced to fight for the confederacy escaped to union territory, a shift occurred that worked in the favor of the president.

Slave owners in the south found themselves at a disadvantage during the war as their day-to-day operations were disrupted. President Lincoln capitalized on this new strain and created the Emancipation Proclamation. Even though the war wasn’t about slavery, the strategic move to formally end slavery, led the union to victory.

In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Kimberle Crenshaw of UCLA and Columbia Law Schools, and Vincent Brown of Harvard University, we will take a look at how nearly 200,000 black men saved the nation and changed the outcome of the Civil War.

Black History in Two Minutes (or so) is a 4x Webby Award winning series.

If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts! It’s a helpful way to for new listeners to discover what we are doing here: Podcast.Apple.com/Black-History-in-Two-Minutes/

Archival Materials Courtesy of:

• Alamy Images

• Getty Images

• Everett Collection Inc.

• Library of congress

Executive Producers:

• Robert F. Smith

• Henry Louis Gates Jr.

• Dyllan McGee

• Deon Taylor

Produced by:

• William Ventura

• Romilla Karnick

Music By:

• Oovra Music

Be Woke presents is brought to you by Robert F. Smith and Deon Taylor.

Follow Black History in Two Minutes on Facebook

Follow Black History in Two Minutes on Instagram

Subscribe to Black History in Two Minutes Youtube Channel

‘Black History in Two Minutes’ is also available on Apple and Google podcasts.

Distributed by aone.la

Powered by hyperengine.ai