Scope and Content Note
The papers of Christian Abraham Fleetwood (1840-1914) span the years 1797-1945, with the bulk of the material dating from 1860 to 1907. The papers chiefly relate to Fleetwood's activities as a soldier and a leading African-American citizen of Washington, D.C. Included are papers relating to the activities of his wife, Sara Iredell Fleetwood, correspondence of other family members, and miscellaneous material.
The collection contains diaries, correspondence, and official papers concerning Fleetwood's service as a Union soldier during the Civil War, a copy of his Medal of Honor award in 1865, his commission as major in the National Guard in 1887, biographical material, and numerous photographs, including photographs of African-American recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. There is also a copy of the Lyceum Observer, dated 5 June 1863, edited by Fleetwood and others.
Sara Fleetwood's papers include her diploma as a registered nurse, confirmation of her appointment to the Nurses' Examining Board of the District of Columbia, and a scrapbook of newspaper clippings.