In 1863, the US Civil War was raging. Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had freed over 3.5 million African-American slaves, and now the Union Army began to recruit a second all-black regiment of soldiers to join the fight. As the struggle against the Confederate South raged on, the newly-formed 54th Massachusetts battalion prepared to attack the seemingly impregnable fortress of Fort Wagner. The odds were heavily against them; the fort had never been taken. America was watching them - and when the bugle sounded they marched towards the guns, flag held high.

About the Author
An author, speaker and writing teacher, Kekla Magoon has been longlisted for the National Book Award, received an NAACP Image Award, and three Coretta Scott King Awards. She initially studied history at Northwestern University in the US, and loves to uncover the stories of the brave and creative people who have come before us. Her books about civil rights and social justice in America include X, a novel about Malcolm X co-written with his daughter, and The Rock and the River, about a young boy torn between his civil rights leader father and his Black Panther brother.

Reviews
"Riveting stories about real people who found themselves in dangerous situations and prevailed... these engaging books bring history to life."
--Booklist



Book Information
ISBN 9781782693055
Author Kekla Magoon
Format Paperback
Page Count 144
Imprint Pushkin Children's Books
Publisher Pushkin Children's Books