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Sergeant Henry F. Steward was born around 1840 and lived an honest and humble life rooted in labor and purpose. At about twenty three years old, he was a farmer in Adrian, Michigan, building his future through hard work and quiet resilience. When the Civil War called, he answered with courage, choosing to step into uncertainty for a cause greater than himself. He enlisted on 4 April 1863 and rose to the rank of Sergeant in Company E, carrying not only the weight of duty but the hopes of a people striving for dignity and recognition. His life was brief, and he died of disease on 27 September 1863 at Morris Island, South Carolina, but his willingness to serve defined his legacy.
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a revolutionary force in American history, the first regiment in the United States composed entirely of enlisted men of color. These men stood as living proof of courage, discipline, and sacrifice in a nation divided by injustice. Their bravery, especially during the assault on Fort Wagner, challenged the deeply rooted beliefs that had denied them equality and humanity. They fought not only against the Confederacy but against the idea that they were less than soldiers, less than citizens, less than men. Their service helped reshape public perception, strengthened the moral cause of the Union, and laid the groundwork for the recognition of Black soldiers as essential defenders of freedom and democracy.
In this painting, I sought to honor Sergeant Henry F. Steward not as a symbol, but as a man. His uniform stands firm, marked by quiet strength, while his posture reflects both resolve and vulnerability. The texture of the surface carries the weight of his sacrifice, with layered marks representing both the physical and emotional toll of war. I chose subdued tones to evoke memory and distance, allowing his presence to emerge from history rather than simply be recreated. His face remains intentionally undefined, representing not only Steward himself but the countless men whose names are less known but whose courage shaped the nation. This painting is my act of remembrance, restoring presence to a life that gave everything.
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Private Collection