Welcome.

 The Descendants Jubilee Project is an endeavor to recognize and honor the memory of the men and women of color who fought for the coming of Jubilee during the American Civil War and then left the places of their enslavement. They went on to help tame the frontier west and build a place for themselves and their descendants. They are the shadow warriors of American history.

Many of the black Americans who went west, did so as soldiers. They had previously served in the United States Colored Troops of the Union Army. Many were veterans of one of the six black Federal regiments of the United States Colored Cavalry or the 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry. The men from these units later formed the core of the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiments, known forever as Buffalo Soldiers. Many others were pioneer homsteaders who were  sometimes known as "Exodusters".

This site pays homage to them and the thousands of cowboys, settlers, scouts, outlaws, freighters, merchants, teachers, lawmen, miners and just plain folks of color who saw the west as a chance for a better life. Come share the stories of people of color who helped to win the American Civil War and build a life in the frontier west. 

You too can join the ranks of modern day Living Historians and Reenactors, who bring to life the people many historians have consigned to the shadows of history.  As a USCT descendant it is important that we honor them and what they accomplished on our behalf.

People of color have not always been acknowledged in the history of how the Civil War was won or how the frontier west was developed. Even American Indians have been relegated to the footnotes of American history. Here we'll celebrate the stories of people once enslaved but now, since the coming of Jubilee, determined to find a better life and a dream fulfilled. We'll also highlight the roles played by  re-enactors and living historians of color  in making people aware of the unheralded contributions and sacrifice made by people long gone. We honor our ancestors  through our portrayal of events in their lives. 

One of the most important reasons for embarking upon this cyber-journey with you is our general annoyance with what we perceive to have been the deliberate omission of the stories of people of color from American history. The people who have chosen to become the guardians of American history seemed to have purposely ignored the exploits of black Americans as they created their exclusive view of American history.

It has been  perpetuated until very recently through  books, television, movies, magazines and every other medium of communication.  It is also evident in the planning of public commemorations of historic events. At this site ,we don’t purport to be professional historians but we do love the story of America .  We would like to see the stories of  people of color included in the public commemorations of  the history that we love.

So, we encourage people of color to  search for and present the stories of our role in building  and defending America and in the development of the west. Please enjoy this site and let us know what you think of it.

 Preserving the Legacy

We thank the independent historians we've talked with and met, for the inspiration and much of the information we've compiled. Special thanks to William Loren Katz who inspired a  first-hand pursuit of the history; thanks also to the late William Leckie and his widow Shirley (now remarried) to William Gladstone who gave us insight on the enormous role of the United States Colored Troops of the Civil War. We also thank black artist, historian and  author, Art Burton and historian John W. Ravage who rode with us in Texas years ago. They along with William Loren Katz  have given us a true vision of  people of color in the froniter west. They are the  historians and authors who have helped and encouraged us at different times. We especially thank Bennie McCrae Jr. who, in our opinion, is unsurpassed as a researcher. He is an unsung hero of black re-enactors and living historians.  Bennie continues to assist all of us by compiling his research at http://www.lwfaam.net

One of the most interesting ways of convincing folks to pay attention to their history is by joining the ranks of the re-enactors and living historians, who spend their time and resources making history come alive. Sometimes you’ll see them on television in nationally broadcast documentaries about important episodes in history but most often these are people who immerse themselves in a period of history and present it to you at venues that allow you to view them up close. In most cases, becoming a re-enactor is a labor of love that gives the participant a tremendous amount of personal satisfaction.

In one particular case, it is our interest in what happened to thousands of black Americans, who went west after the American Civil War to build a life for themselves after the coming of Jubilee, that has inspired us. Their stories of hardship and sacrifice were never  included in the chronicles of the homesteaders and pioneers of the American west. The stories of the young men who were the original cowboys (The word was once a derogatory reference to black men who worked with cattle.) were not included when the history books we learned from were written.

The great warrior chiefs of the Plains Nations; the Lakota, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ansaroka, and others were not described as honorable men who defended their wives, families and their lands against invaders. The towns and settlements of the territories and states of the southwest were not described as having been established by residents of New Spain and Mexico who had owned the land well before the “Americans” came. The Apache and Comanche nations were never described as warrior societies with long proud histories of their own.Their history will also be honored here.

Our attempt to focus attention on the history that we didn’t know,  is done through our own search for identity and by a need to bring that history to life for ourselves and others who would like to know. They are stories that are important,  interesting and fun to learn and to share. We welcome additional contributions to this website. Use the contact page to reach us. Thanks.

Learn more about becoming a re-enactor >