Before the Civil War and the Fourteenth amendment, there were free blacks who lived, thrived, and contributed significantly to the early history of the United States. Of course life as a free black American in the colonies was not easy, and they faced a myriad of challenges that related directly to the color of their skin. But many were able to live good and even remarkable lives that deserve to be remembered.
There was an entire class of Navy ships- some thirty vessels- named after Army Generals. The largely forgotten General G.O. Squier class transports did yeomans' work in an unsung role, and have an interesting history that deserves to be remembered.