COURTESY CAMERON ART MUSEUM

Durham-based artist Stephen Hayes sculpted "Boundless," a bronze statue that honors the U.S. Colored Troops who liberated the port city of Wilmington from Confederate control in the 1865 Battle of Forks Road.

A sculpture in Wilmington pays tribute to Black soldiers who helped the United States win the Civil War.

On Nov. 13, Cameron Art Museum unveiled “Boundless,” a 2,500-pound bronze sculpture by Durham-based artist Stephen Hayes that honors the U.S. Colored Troops. A two-day public celebration of the troops concludes Sunday with festivities that include music, storytelling, family activities, food trucks and conversation with Hayes.

The USCT project comes during a time of national reckoning with issues of race and inclusion. “Boundless,” which stands 16-by-7.5-by-3 feet, engages through programming that contextualizes Wilmington’s history with racism as a major slave-trading port, Confederate stronghold during the Civil War and the 1898 coup that overturned duly-elected Black political representatives – the only such occurrence in U.S. history.

“As a Black man in America, you see the imagery of a Black person in chains, being whipped, begging, kneeling and helpless,” said Hayes, a North Carolina Central University graduate. “This project is important to me because, as a creator, I get to change that narrative — by giving Black soldiers a sense of honor and pride.”

Hayes is recipient of the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art and teaches at Duke University, is known for figurative work, especially for depicting the Black experience. Hayes’ work has been featured at the National Cathedral, Winston-Salem State University, Duke University, CAM Raleigh, Rosa Parks Museum, African American Museum in Philadelphia, and Harvey B. Gantt Center.

The CAM stands on the site of the Battle of Forks Road, a fight won by 2,000 Black Union troops – 80% of them were slaves – that led to the fall of Wilmington, the Confederacy’s last seaport in 1865. In addition to fighting for the Union, they also fought for their freedom and the abolishment of slavery. The National Archives estimates 179,000 Black men fought in the war, with 10% on the Union side.

“We are grateful for the community’s continued interest in this ambitious and meaningful project,” said Anne Brennan, CAM’s executive director. “The challenging events of the past year have brought renewed meaning to the vision for ‘Boundless,’ helping promote social change.

“Boundless” is life casts of 11 Black men connected to the confrontation’s story – USCT descendants, reenactors, veterans, and community leaders. Josiah Patrick, a Wilmington man whose features are used in the sculpture, is a descendant of four USCT soldiers.

“Boundless” was funded by a grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, which awarded $450,000 to 10 North Carolina communities for public art that shares stories of North Carolina people and events, especially those whose stories are often untold.

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