Civil War Portrait of Sgt. William Carney
 
Title: Sergeant William H. Carney
Series: “If All Black Men Were Pacifist”
Size 24 x 36 inches
Medium: Screen print on paper using red, green, yellow, and black ink; portrait rendered in black archival Micron pen and white charcoal. 
 
The Flag Never Touched the Ground
Sergeant William H. Carney (1840–1908) was the first Black American to earn the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Civil War. A member of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, Carney carried the American flag through gunfire during the assault on Fort Wagner, even after being shot multiple times.
His now-famous words, “The old flag never touched the ground,” became a powerful symbol of Black loyalty to a nation that had yet to honor their full humanity. In an era where freedom was promised but not delivered, Carney's actions remind us that peace is not submission, and patriotism can be an act of protest.