Lessons in History with Kevin M. Levin

A Glorious Fate: The Life and Legacy of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw

Saturday, October 17, 2026
11:00 AM–12:00 PM
The National Civil War Museum

Robert Gould Shaw is best remembered as the heroic young colonel who led the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment—one of the first Black regiments organized in the North during the Civil War—in its famous and ill-fated assault on Confederate Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863.

His sacrifice has been commemorated through monuments, books, and the award-winning film Glory. But who was Robert Gould Shaw before he became a Civil War legend?

Join acclaimed historian and author Kevin M. Levin for a fascinating presentation based on his new book, A Glorious Fate: The Life and Legacy of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the first biography of Shaw in a quarter century.

Levin takes us beyond the familiar story to explore Shaw’s transformation from a privileged and rebellious young man who showed little interest in his parents’ abolitionist ideals into an officer confronting the realities of war, race, emancipation, and command.

Through Shaw’s experiences, Levin also brings renewed attention to the African American soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts—the men whose courage, service, and sacrifice helped change the course and meaning of the Civil War.

Discover the complicated man behind the legend and the extraordinary soldiers whose story became forever intertwined with his.

This program is free to attend. Regular Museum admission applies for guests wishing to tour the Museum galleries.