On Saturday, August 16, the Troy Human Relations Commission will unveil a new Ohio History Connection marker honoring Ohio’s Black Civil War soldiers buried at Riverside Cemetery. The ceremony, held at Soldier’s Circle in Riverside Cemetery, will begin at 11 a.m. and will feature a brief benediction, remarks from local and state historians, and a reading of the names of Civil War soldiers laid to rest here in Troy.
In 1862, after Congress authorized the enlistment of free Black men into the Union Army and Navy, approximately 3,000 Black Ohioans joined the 54th and 55th Massachusetts (Colored) Volunteers—the first all-Black regiments raised in the North. That same year, the 127th Ohio Volunteer Infantry became the state’s first Black regiment to join the war effort.
Today, more than 20 Civil War soldiers who served in these regiments are buried at Riverside Cemetery, many in Soldier’s Circle. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment remains well-known in popular culture, thanks to its portrayal in the 1989 film Glory.
The Ohio Historical Markers program, which began in the 1950s, now includes more than 1,750 markers statewide. To secure approval for this new marker, the Human Relations Commission—working with the Troy Local History & Genealogy Center and local historians—submitted extensive documentation to verify the historical accuracy of the text. The funding for the marker was provided by a grant from the Ohio History Connection and the William G. Pomery Foundation, as well as a grant from The Troy Foundation.
This newest marker will join Troy’s five existing Ohio History Connection markers, which commemorate Lock 12 near Treasure Island Park, the first UPC barcode scan, WACO Aircraft Company, Overfield Tavern, and a WWII-era Junior Girls Canteen near Herrlinger Park.
The dedication of this marker is not only a celebration of local history but also a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the soldiers it honors. The community is invited to attend and remember the men who fought for freedom and helped shape the course of our nation’s history.