INDIANAPOLIS — A denial more than a century ago that sparked a significant journey for Andrew Bowman to complete his family's story.
“My grandfather was born a slave in Kentucky, and he ran away from slavery," Bowman said.
Bowman’s grandfather, Andrew Jackson Smith, escaped right at the start of the Civil War. Smith, along with other slaves, were pushed to volunteer in the army.
“The emancipation proclamation read that the black soldiers would now be accepted in the army and will be able to be utilized," Bowman said.
Army units exclusive to Black men, many of whom were slaves, called The United States Colored Troops (USCT), stretched throughout the country. Bowman's grandfather landed in the 55th Massachusetts Regiment.
Bowman said for most of his life, conversations about the Civil War and his grandfather's sacrifice and bravery just never surfaced.
"I had no knowledge because it wasn't taught and if it was taught, it was taught on a different level," Bowman said.
It wasn't until he reached his 50s that he discovered his grandfather's story was far from over. Bowman is now 88-years-old and spent roughly half of his life looking for answers.
"I decided that this was something I wanted to pursue. It made me feel proud of who I was," Bowman said.
Bowman learned that in 1918, his grandfather's recommendation for a medal of honor was denied. An official letter alleged that there was no evidence of his involvement in the Civil War.
This motivated Bowman and his family to set the record straight once and for all.
“I discovered there were lots of other people who would have probably qualified for this had the documents been preserved," Bowman said.
After years of pulling family archives and making multiple trips to Washington D.C., Bowman stumbled upon a man who worked with his grandfather. He was able to provide documentation that proved Smith was deserving of the prestigious recognition.
“I was told by a liaison of the army that this would never happen. You will never get the medal of honor," Bowman said.
January 16, 2001, Bowman and his family accepted the Medal of Honor — the final piece to assure that his grandfather's contributions to this country were not done in vain.
“The whole point here, in my opinion, is that we have to give something of value to our kids, and one of the things is not monetary but give them our history," Bowman said.
Bowman dedicated years after that to helping other families of Indiana’s 28th Regiment of Colored Troops complete their story, by getting recognition that went unnoticed.
He even got a landmark in central Indiana for those troops on Virginia Avenue and McCarty Street.
"History is so important. If we look at today, I see us repeating some of the history we should have forgotten," Bowman said.
Bowman wrote a book titled, "Carrying the Colors: The Life and Legacy of Medal of Honor Recipient Andrew Jackson Smith." It details his grandfather's journey from slavery to a White House ceremony, as a Medal of Honor recipient.
