Segregation by law, or de jure segregation, was the practice of
separating people on the basis of race or ethnicity. "The armed
services weren't desegregated until 1948," Howard said.
President Truman issued an executive order ending racial
segregation in the United States military forces, Howard added.
Even so, Howard said the black soldiers all received honorable
discharges and shouldn't be forgotten. "These soldiers lived in
a time when things were pretty rough for African-Americans," he
said. The National Park Service currently is doing research to
find out more about the soldiers, who Howard said have never
received visits or inquiries from family members or friends
during his 10 years at the cemetery. "We're not even sure
exactly how they ended up here," Howard said. "We know what
divisions they served in, but we want to find out more about
them." Antietam National Cemetery was established in 1864 as a
burial place for Union and Confederate soldiers killed in the
Battle of Antietam, which took place in