Glory (1989) is a full-out celebration of a little-known act of mass courage during the Civil War. Simply put, the heroes involved have been ignored by history due to racism. Those heroes were the all-black members of the 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, headed by the son of an influential abolitionist. Despite the fact that the Civil War is ostensibly being fought on their behalf, the black soldiers are denied virtually every privilege and amenity that is matter of course for their white counterparts; as in armies past and future, they are given the most menial and demeaning of tasks. Still, none of the soldiers quit the regiment when given the chance. The unofficial leaders of the group are a gravedigger and fugitive slave , respectively representing the brains and heart of the organization. The 54th acquit themselves valiantly at Fort Wagner, South Carolina, charging a fortification manned by some 1000 Confederates. It is a lost cause, resulting in death for half the regiment; still, one leaves the film feeling as though the 54th has "won", if only spiritually. The all-star cast includes Matthew Broderick, Jane Alexander, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington (who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor).