We want to help fight to free our race. We want to know if you will take us in the service?”
Annotation #1 (5/3/2026): In this segment of the text, we learn that William Henry Singleton and other black men petitioning to enlist in the Union Army to assist in gaining their freedom. I feel that this segment is quite significant because we see how despite their willingness to put themselves at risk for the ideals they stood for, they were not accepted right away nor treated equally as citizens. This should remind all of us how the African Americans had to fight not only against their slavery but also for recognition and basic rights.