Hello, my name Benjamin Nelson-Betz, and I am a senior at Keene State College. I am a double major in secondary education and history. I was born in Marlborough, New Hampshire, and currently live in Dummerston, Vermont. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, fishing, reading, and watching sports. A majority of the history that I have studied at Keene State College has been European and post Civil War American History, so I am looking forward to the opportunity of studying the Civil War.

My research will be focused on the treatment of Black Union Soldiers during the Civil War compared to that of their White counterparts, and how they ultimately impacted the War. Although Black Union Soldiers had a substantial impact on the War, their story is often never told. They faced discrimination in wages, resources, and conditions, and a large focus of mine that will allow me to tell their story will be that of the all Black 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. I will be digging deep into resources about the Regiment to research their side of the story of the War. Through primary and secondary sources, my research will be able to tell the story of the impact that Black Union Soldiers had on the Civil War, and the oppression they faced while doing so.