Bill > HR1087

This bill aims to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to the African Americans who served with Union forces during the Civil War, recognizing their significant yet often overlooked contributions to the nation's history. The bill begins by detailing the historical context of African American military service during the Civil War, noting that approximately 200,000 African American men served in the Union Army and 19,000 in the Union Navy, despite facing racial discrimination and barriers to enlistment. It highlights how these soldiers and sailors played a crucial role in the war effort, with 18 USCT members and 8 African American sailors being awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery. The legislation mandates that the Speaker of the House and the Senate President pro tempore arrange for the presentation of a gold medal to these servicemembers collectively, which will be designed by the Secretary of the Treasury and then given to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research. The bill also authorizes the minting of duplicate bronze medals for sale, with proceeds going to the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. Beyond the medal itself, the bill serves as a formal recognition of the patriotism and heroism of African Americans who served the Union during the Civil War, despite not being fully recognized as citizens at the time, and who were instrumental in the fight for emancipation and citizenship for nearly 4 million enslaved people.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1087/all-info