Michigan's African Americans played critical roles in winning the Civil War and setting millions of fellow Americans forever free. The 1st Michigan Colored Infantry Regiment, more than 1,500 strong, helped overwhelm their enemies on the battlefield. Alongside the soldiers, civilian Black men and women contributed in previously unrecognized ways to defending and extending human liberty. One such unsung hero, William Dollarson, escaped from brutal slave conditions in Natchez, became a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Detroit, and joined the staff of Michigan's preeminent general in fighting the Confederacy in Maryland and Virginia. This first-ever complete recounting coincides with the 160th anniversary of the Michigan regiment mustering into the U.S. Army. Warriors for Liberty sheds unprecedented light on the heroism, patriotism, and fortitude of Michiganders of African descent during this tumultuous era in American history. Aided by extensive research and fresh scholarship, this volume is a breakthrough study of compelling depth and majesty. Included is a first-person account by victims of the 1863 Detroit riot that spurred greater sacrifice by Michigan's people of color in the cause of saving the Union and of emancipation.

Editor Jack Dempsey is an award-winning author of works on the Civil War, Michigan history, and culture. Born in Detroit, a graduate of James Madison College / Michigan State University, and George Washington University National Law Center, his fascination with the Civil War began in the third grade. He chaired Michigan's Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, was vice-president and president of the Michigan Historical Commission from 2007 to 2018, a member of the Michigan World War I Centennial Commission, and board member of several heritage-focused nonprofit organizations. He served on the Black Historic Sites Committee of the Detroit Historical Society, contributed to Civil War articles for The Michigan Chronicle, and is a life member of the NAACP. He is a member of the Society of Civil War Historians, the Society for Women and the Civil War, and the Society of Midland Authors. The Michigan Civil War Association (MCWA) is a Michigan 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Its purposes include the pursuit of cultural, historical, and economic development opportunities to preserve and promote the history of Michigan's role in the American Civil War. Proceeds from this volume support the MCWA in raising funds to erect a monument honoring Michigan's contributions to victory and to emancipation at the Battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862.