William Carney Carries the Flag:The Heroic Journey of a Black Civil War Soldier

An inspiring true Civil War story for ages 7-10 about a brave soldier of  the first Black regiment from acclaimed author-illustrator duo Gary Golio and E. B. Lewis.

The 54th was the first official Black regiment of the Union Army. For these men, it was imperative that the flag carried by their color guard never touch the ground. It represented a more just America where they might be free.

During the battle at Fort Wagner in South Carolina, William Carney—who was formerly enslaved and escaped to freedom—saw the guard go down, and picked up the flag himself. Despite being shot several times and injured, William carried the flag across the battlefield to Union lines, becoming a hero.

William Carney was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for this act, defying widespread racial discrimination and prejudice. This book celebrates his remarkable life and impacts on his communities. His story still reverberates to this day. The movie Glory is based on the actions of the 54th. | A visual artist, musician, and psychotherapist, Gary Golio is the author of the New York Times-bestselling picture book Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow, which received the 2011 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. His other books, most of which profile important artists, include When Bob Met Woody, Strange Fruit, Sonny Rollins Plays the Bridge, Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem, The Soldier’s Friend, and Silence Sounds Simple.

The recipient of a Caldecott Honor and a five-time Coretta Scott King award-winner, E. B. Lewis is the illustrator of more than seventy books for children. His recent titles include Invincible: Founding Fathers and Mothers of Black America by Wade Hudson, which was nominated for the Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Awards, Everywhere Beauty is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava by Gary Golio, which received four starred reviews and was a Kirkus Most Anticipated Book of 2024, and The Soldier’s Friend: Walt Whitman's Extraordinary Service in the American Civil War also by Gary Golio.