Frederick Douglass paved the way for blacks to enlist in the U.S. military when he spoke out to them stating that the black man fought for freedom and that they should be able to take up arms and fight. This would eventually give way to the first black regiment in the United States, that would be known as the 54th Massachusetts. Their commander was Robert Gould Shaw, a white man who at first discriminated them and didn’t expect much, though as time passed his racism would take a turn. After seeing their potential and hard work he would start to respect them even noting that he was impressed with their work. Though not everyone saw the potential and almost no one respected them. Granted, by the time that they were sent to South Carolina to fight
