In the movie Glory, they showed what it was like in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment and how African Americans were able to take a stand and fight in the war. I believe the director and actors accurately portrayed the Civil War era and what people had to endure. It also furthered my understanding of the difficult conditions they faced. Despite serious prejudices, at night, gathered in tents and around fires, the men sang songs and seemed to be having fun. It was said that they were only used for free labor and would not have a chance to fight and prove themselves, yet they kept morale high. Additionally, the men of the regiment were supposed to be paid $13 a month, but instead they were paid only $7. Robert Shaw noticed this injustice and did not even accept his check, protesting. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The discrimination these people still faced, despite being allowed to fight, was shocking. The salary issue mentioned earlier was unfair, but Robert Shaw recognized this and did something about it. Rumors that they would only be used for free labor were harsh, given that most of the men came from a background of slavery. Furthermore, in the film, the white soldiers seemed to treat these men poorly despite fighting for the same cause. The men simply wanted to prove themselves and fight, yet they faced so much prejudice. There was a part in the movie where the men were in desperate need of new shoes. Robert Shaw sat down with some men and discussed the matter, but they did not give the regiment the shoes they needed. The shoes were desperately needed because the men's feet were blistered and almost to the point that they could no longer walk, which could prove a serious problem when it came time to go onto the battlefield. A man from the regiment had gone out of camp looking for shoes, but was caught and they thought he was trying to abandon the regiment. His punishment consisted of lashings on his back, which was absolutely cruel. Especially when they took off his shirt and there were obvious scars from previous whippings. He was not given a chance to explain, he was punished the same way he was punished when he was a slave. Shortly thereafter, Robert Shaw managed to obtain the regimental shoes, after using some force. Overall I enjoyed the film and thought it was a good portrayal of the era, really putting the conditions and experiences into perspective. I didn't notice anything that seemed out of place or misrepresented. Seeing the harsh conditions rather than simply hearing about them really helps someone understand what it was like to fight in the Civil War. Works Cited Davis, W. C. (1989). The 54th Massachusetts Regiment: A History of the Regiment and its Campaigns. Salem, MA: Higginson Book Company.Fox, J. W. (1990). The Negro in the Civil War. Boston, MA: Little, Brown.McPherson, J. M. (1991). Freedom's Battle Cry: The Civil War Era. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Burchard, P. (2004). One Gallant Rush: Robert Gould Shaw and his brave black regiment. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin.Hoffer, AP (2002). The Civil War: A Concise History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Glatthaar, J. T. (2008). Forged in Battle: The Civil War Alliance Between Black Soldiers and White Officers. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press. Emilio, L. F. (2013). A Brave Black Regiment: The Story of the Fifty-fourth.