On this Day in History: First black army officer in U.S. history was born in Columbia

In addition to producing six generals and numerous other military officers, Columbia, Pennsylvania, holds another remarkable distinction: it is the birthplace of the U.S. Army’s first Black officer. This fact has been confirmed by historian Hugh MacDougall of Cooperstown, N.Y.

Stephen Atkins Swails was born in Columbia on February 23, 1832, to a Black father and a White mother. In 1863, while working as a boatman in New York, he enlisted in the renowned 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment—one of the first African American units to serve in the Civil War. Swails distinguished himself in battle and ultimately rose to the rank of first lieutenant.

That same year, he fought in the famous assault on Fort Wagner in Charleston, S.C., a pivotal moment for the 54th Regiment. This heroic charge was later depicted in the 1989 film Glory.

Following the war, Swails was appointed a major general in the South Carolina National Guard. He also entered public service, serving as mayor of Kingstree, South Carolina, and spending a decade as a state senator, including three terms as president pro tempore.

Swails passed away in 1901 in Kingstree and is buried in Charleston’s Friendly Society Cemetery.

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