William Harvey Carney is the first African American to earn the Medal of Honor. Born a slave on February 29, 1840 in Norfolk, Virginia, he and his father escaped to Massachusetts via the Underground Railroad. They later would arrange for the rest of their family to be freed.Carney served the W54 Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry as a Sergeant. He was awarded the medal for saving the American flag in battle on July 18, 1863 during the assault on Fort Wagner in Charleston, South Carolina.
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