Photos & Multimedia

Enjoy a few select videos and audio files, as well as some photo galleries of various forts across the National Park Service. For a complete list of photo and multimedia files related to forts in the National Park Service, visit our Multimedia Search page.
Video
Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details
Duration:
2 minutes, 5 seconds

An overview of the Civil War Defenses of Washington, the roles of Fort Stevens and other forts in the Civil War, and how park visitors can experience these places today.

Open Transcript 

Transcript

The Civil War served as the catalyst that would forever change the landscape of this country and of the District of Columbia. As the war raged on, thousands of slaves used the commotion and bloodshed to escape from oppression.

In the process the war brought a large percentage of the enslaved population to the forts surrounding, as well as protecting, Washington, DC. These individuals left with the hope of finding both freedom, as well as new opportunities. A large portion of these African Americans, both free and enslaved, came from Southern states as well as nearby Virginia and Maryland. When they arrived at these forts, they were given basic resources and shelter. And, in exchange, they were hired by the Union army. "Contraband," as they were called, reflected their status as spoils of war.

In the years to follow, African American settlements grew and eventually experienced a heightened period of economic as well as social prosperity, building entire communities for their families despite the amount of discrimination they experienced. Some of these communities, established in the shadow of Civil War Defenses of Washington, may still exist today.

Descendants of Civil War refugees may trace their community beginnings to the neighborhoods surrounding Fort Davis, Fort Dupont, and Fort Mahan east of the Anacostia River and Fort Reno, Fort Slocum, Fort Stevens, Fort Bunker Hill, and Battery Kemble in Northwest Washington.

The National Park Service in partnership with American University wants to learn about this community history and hear the stories of contemporary African Americans with ties to these parks. Sharing your story will help the National Park Service to document and preserve resources of historical importance that are still important to the community today.

Can you trace your heritage to the Civil War? If you have connections to Civil War descendant communities and would be interested in sharing your story with the National Park Service please visit:

https://www.nps.gov/cwdw

or contact project researcher Professor Sue Taylor at:

suet@american.edu.

Your story is important and together we can preserve these important places of community, hope, and freedom -- today and in the future.

Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details
Duration:
2 minutes, 46 seconds

This brief video describes the African American Civil War Descendants Study.

  • Black Jack Ruts – Place to visit on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail

    Black Jack Ruts – Place to visit on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail

    Walk through five distinct swales created by thousands of heavily loaded freight wagons as they traveled the Santa Fe Trail. A quarter mile, gravel trail loops through and along the swales that are up to 15 feet wide, and 4 and a half feet deep. Exhibits tell the site’s history and significance as you explore. Most of this tallgrass prairie remains unplowed, offering visitors a chance to see the landscape as trail travelers would have over a hundred years ago.

    Duration:
    1 minute, 3 seconds
Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details
Duration:
2 minutes, 30 seconds

Introductory portion of Fort Scott's Movie-Dreams and Dillemmas

  • Freedom’s Fortress: Escape to Freedom

    Freedom’s Fortress: Escape to Freedom

    Empowered by a legal loophole, thousands of enslaved Africans escaped and found refuge at a Union-held fort during the Civil War. Fortress Monroe in Virginia became the site of the first “contraband camp”; a spontaneous community of self-emancipated blacks where inhabitants often became recruits for military service.

    Duration:
    4 minutes, 27 seconds
  • 40 for 40: Welcome to Fort Stanwix

    40 for 40: Welcome to Fort Stanwix

    2016 is the 40th anniversary of Fort Stanwix National Monument opening to the public and the park is celebrating by releasing a series of 40 short films about the park's history and its future!

    Duration:
    1 minute, 23 seconds
Audio
  • Freedom’s Fortress: Escape to Freedom

    Freedom’s Fortress: Escape to Freedom

    Empowered by a legal loophole, thousands of enslaved Africans escaped and found refuge at a Union-held fort during the Civil War. Fortress Monroe in Virginia became the site of the first “contraband camp”; a spontaneous community of self-emancipated blacks where inhabitants often became recruits for military service.

    Duration:
    4 minutes, 27 seconds
Photo Galleries

Last updated: January 4, 2023

Tools