Army Sgt. William Harvey Carney made history as the first-ever African American Medal of Honor recipient for his incredible bravery at the Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863. Born into slavery in Virginia in 1840, Carney’s family eventually gained freedom and relocated to Massachusetts.
Though he originally aspired to enter the ministry, Carney felt compelled to enlist in the Union Army following the Emancipation Proclamation. “I could best serve my God serving my country and my oppressed brothers,” he explained. Carney joined the trailblazing 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry Regiment in 1863.
Planting the Flag Atop Fort Wagner Despite Repeated Gunshot Wounds
On that fateful July day, Carney witnessed his colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the regimental flag bearer both fatally shot during the frontal assault on the fort. Carney raced to grab the falling stars and stripes before it touched the ground.
Though sustaining several gunshot wounds himself, Carney proceeded to plant the flag firmly atop the parapet walls while urging fellow troops forward. He held the flag upright until near collapse when reinforcements finally enabled the retreat.
Eyewitness accounts confirm the flag never slipped from Carney’s grasp even as he crawled on hands and knees, refusing to surrender it until safely reaching Union encampments. Carney nobly proclaimed afterwards, “Boys, I only did my duty; the old flag never touched the ground!” His steadfast dedication and sacrifice inspired the later patriotic ballad “The Old Flag Never Touched the Ground.”
Waiting Decades for Medal of Honor Recognition
Due to rampant discrimination, most African Americans were denied proper military accolades for decades following the Civil War’s end. So Carney did not officially receive his Medal of Honor until May 23, 1900, nearly 37 years after his extraordinary deed.
The citation lauded Carney for grasping the flag when his sergeant fell, heroically advancing it towards enemy lines and planting it despite incurring additional severe wounds. While he was not technically the first Black Medal of Honor awardee, Carney’s actions represented the earliest occurrence warranting the distinguished merit.
Continuing to Serve His Community After the War
Having sacrificed body and blood for freedom, Carney fittingly became New Bedford, Massachusetts’s first African American postal worker following his military discharge. He dedicated 32 more years to enriching community members’ lives through his postal service role.
When Carney passed away in 1908 at age 68, Massachusetts mourned by lowering all state flags to half-mast – a groundbreaking tribute for a Black resident at the time. Numerous other posthumous honors have recognized selfless trailblazer William Harvey Carney and his supreme demonstration of courage in battle.
The former slave who risked his life to protect the flag and help liberate an oppressed people will forever stand tall in the pantheon of American heroes. His legacy pioneered advancement for people of color through military and civilian channels alike.
