Jeff Kannel, author of "Make Way for Liberty: Wisconsin African Americans in the Civil War", will share his journey of how he became interested in researching and writing about these soldiers and veterans. Upon returning to Wisconsin after their service, Black veterans faced a complex mix of respect for their contributions, yet also rejection and isolation due to their race. They grappled with many of the same challenges modern-day veterans face. Despite these hardships, several of these men went on to achieve success as entrepreneurs, craftsmen, politicians, civil rights advocates, parents, and church leaders. About Mr. Kannel: Jeff Kannel is a retired physical therapist and educator. He served as a tour guide at the Civil War Museum in Kenosha from 2011 to 2018. He spent 10 years researching Wisconsin's black Civil War soldiers before writing Make Way for Liberty. He has done talks about his book in more than two dozen towns around the state and is co-author of “Henry Sink: Settler, Soldier, Citizen” for the Wisconsin Magazine of History in 2018.