Where you can find the marker: At Sawyer Point (705 E. Pete Rose Way), just east of the Purple People Bridge in downtown Cincinnati.
The history: In 1862, Cincinnati officials, worried about an invasion from Confederate troops, ordered Cincinnati citizens to form home guards. But when a group of Black men stepped in to volunteer, they were turned away and, instead, police began rounding up Black men and forcing them into service. Outraged by the treatment of these men who were willing to support the Union, the commander of the Department of Ohio sent Major General Lewis Wallace to liberate the men and command the civilians. Under the command of Judge William Martin Dickson, the Cincinnati Black Brigade, the first Black unit with a military purpose in the Civil War, was formed. In September of 1862, the Brigade, made up of about 1,000 members, worked to clear forests and build fortifications, military roads and rifle pits. The unit received praise for their work and disbanded when Southern forces no longer threatened the city. Members later fought with other Black regiments, including the 127th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.