Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site

The Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site commemorates a groundbreaking moment in African American military history during the Civil War. In November 1862, the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, one of the first African American regiments in the Union Army, engaged Confederate guerrillas in a significant skirmish. This battle was not just a military engagement but a powerful statement of African American courage, dignity, and commitment to freedom during a transformative period in American history.

The battle occurred in a region where slavery and anti-slavery sentiments violently collided, and these African American soldiers demonstrated their resolve and military capability at a time when many doubted their fitness for combat. Their performance at Island Mound helped pave the way for broader African American participation in the Union military efforts.