A few weeks ago I came across a short YouTube video of an African American Civil War reenactor interpreting the history of United States Colored Troops for a small audience at an event marking the anniversary of the Battle of Wilson’s Wharf.
At the end of the Q&A a question was asked about the existence of Black Confederates. I was so impressed with his response that I decided to look into identifying the individual in question and inviting him to join me for an interview.
Today I had the privilege of interviewing retired U.S. Navy Capt. Edward Gantt about his experience interpreting the history and experiences of Black Union soldiers and the challenges of having to respond to questions like the one about Black Confederates.
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed our discussion. His passion for Civil War history, the history of United States Colored Troops and living history will be evident to anyone watching this video. It’s important to have individuals like Ed Gantt working to continue to educate the general public about an aspect of our history that for far too long was either minimized, ignored or distorted.
A little background about my guest.
Gantt was born in Maryland, and saw combat as a helicopter door gunner and crew chief during a 12-month tour in South Vietnam. His first stint in the service included graduation from the U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger schools at Fort Benning, Ga.
After graduating in 1974 from Howard University in Washington, D.C., Gantt reentered the armed forces. He attended the Naval Aviation Office Candidate School, where he received his Naval Flight Officer “Wings of Gold” in 1978.
Gantt served in a number of F14 Tomcat Squadrons based in Virginia Beach, Va. and in San Diego. He had several assignments in the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and the West Pacific, while flying over 2,000 hours, including from several aircraft carriers.
In July 2000, Gantt took command of the Navy boot camp at Great Lakes, Ill., where he was responsible for the development of nearly 50,000 sailors annually at Recruit Training Command.
He retired from the Navy in 2003, after 30 years of active service. A few years later, Gantt began a new career as a public high school teacher in Prince George’s County, Md. and in Washington, D.C.
I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Share this post