During this time in history, the colored man was still not allowed to defend himself within the military. Douglass began to instill the importance of belonging to the United States army to the colored and promoted their inclusion among the whites. He had gained the support of enough of the population to make an impact. Finally, in 1863, as a result of Frederick Douglass’s actions, Congress had authorized colored enlistment in the Union army (8, 15). Frederick was asked to help recruit colored soldiers, including his two sons, into the Massachusetts 54th Regime, the first group ever to contain colored militia (6). He immediately agreed and began promoting through speeches and newspaper advertisements (5). Frederick promised equality in the Union
