Throughout American history, the contributions of Black soldiers in the Civil War have been largely overlooked in mainstream storytelling. While films like Glory (1989) shed some light on the bravery of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, many stories of Black Union soldiers remain untold. Filmmaker Joy Shannon seeks to change that with her powerful short film, Rock Island Prison 1864, winner of the Best Drama Short in the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival.
Set during the final year of the Civil War, Rock Island Prison 1864 brings to life an extraordinary yet often forgotten reality: Black Union soldiers—many of whom were recently freed from slavery—were assigned to guard Confederate prisoners at the Rock Island Union prison in Illinois. The film explores the psychological and emotional turmoil these young men faced as they navigated newfound freedom while being placed in a position of authority over those who had once enslaved them.
Joy Shannon, who grew up in Rock Island, IL, was stunned when she first learned about the prison’s history. She had always known about the Union prison camp that housed Confederate soldiers. Still, the revelation that formerly enslaved Black soldiers were tasked with guarding them was a story that demanded to be told. “Films on the Black Union soldiers’ participation in the Civil War are few and far between,” Shannon explains. “When I discovered that my quiet Midwestern town had this kind of history, I was astonished. But when I discovered that these men—many of whom had risked everything to escape slavery—were then placed in charge of their former oppressors, I knew I had to make this into a film.”
Shannon emphasizes that the emotional and mental toll on these young Black men must have been overwhelming. They had endured unimaginable hardships, running for their lives with no certainty of reaching freedom. After finally enlisting to fight for the Union, they found themselves guarding Confederate prisoners who had fought to keep them enslaved. “I can imagine some thought the abuse just wouldn’t stop,” she says. “That’s why I had to tell this story.” Since there are limited records detailing the personal experiences of the Black soldiers at Rock Island, Shannon used extensive research to build a dramatized narrative that reflects the historical realities of the time. Rock Island Prison 1864 is not just a Civil War film—it’s an exploration of power dynamics, resilience, and the struggles of a young Black man trying to find his place in a world that still saw him as inferior.
Shannon also acknowledges the difficulty of bringing stories like this to the screen. “It’s not that Hollywood is actively trying to bury stories from a Black perspective during the Civil War,” she says. “They just ignore most of them, which yields the same results.”
She points out that while the Civil War was undeniably fought over slavery, revisionists have long tried to reframe the conflict as being about economic expansion or states’ rights. “But expansion with what?” she asks. “Slavery! The South profited most from enslaved labor, but the North benefited. And yet, Hollywood primarily focuses on narratives from the perspectives of those who gained from slavery rather than those who suffered under it.”
By bringing Rock Island Prison 1864 to audiences, Shannon hopes to counteract that erasure. “This is an essential piece of American history,” she says. “And it’s time we stop ignoring it.”
While Rock Island Prison 1864 is set almost 160 years ago, its themes remain strikingly relevant. Shannon sees the film as a reflection of the ongoing struggles against systemic oppression and inequality in America today. “At its core, my film is about a powerless, uneducated young Black man who must dig deep into his soul and stand up against a system that doesn’t care about him—a system run by the rich and super-rich,” she explains. “That struggle is still happening today. Economic disparities, racial injustice, and political disenfranchisement continue to shape the Black experience in America.”
Shannon believes Rock Island Prison 1864 goes beyond a Civil War story but is a mirror to modern America. “The idea of a ruling class maintaining control at the expense of the powerless? That’s not just history. That’s America in 2025.” Rock Island Prison 1864 may be referred to as a historical drama— but for America, it is a call to remember the overlooked and a demand to tell the stories that have long been ignored. Through Shannon’s lens, audiences are given a chance to witness the strength of Black soldiers who faced unimaginable challenges, not just on the battlefield but within the very army that claimed to fight for their freedom. As Shannon puts it, “American history has rich events that can be made into incredible stories—which is why none should be banned.”
For ticket information, visit: https://hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com/ March 8, 2025, at 5 pm @ The Regal Stadium Cineplex Theaters at L.A. Live, 1000 West Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, 90015 — Film’s website:www.rockislandprison.com
Photo Credit by Joy Shannon
