African+American+Roles

African Americans : Fighting Alongside Union Troops Many African Americans were slaves during the Civil War but those of them that were free, and some that were still enslaved, had essential roles in the Union's victory over the South. Many free African Americans enlisted into the Union army to fight for the freedom of their relatives that were still enslaved in the South, at first the army was against enlisting free slaves. But then they realized that it was the African Americans' cause so they had the right to fight alongside the white Union soldiers that were fighting for their whole race's freedom and rights. Some slaves and free African Americans also worked as spies for the Union.