One battle. Fourteen Medals of Honor. A forgotten chapter of American history.
The Battle of New Market Heights resulted in fourteen Medals of Honor awarded to Black soldiers — the highest concentration in any single Civil War engagement — yet the battle remains largely unknown outside academic circles.
Valor at New Market Heights is a story about proof: proof of courage, humanity, and belonging, and the cost of earning rights that should never have required bloodshed.
By restoring this battle to public memory, the film reveals how African American soldiers helped crack Richmond’s defenses, secure Lincoln’s reelection, and accelerate the passage of the 13th Amendment.
This project is grounded in primary sources, expert scholarship, and lived military experience, using a hybrid approach that pairs documentary interviews with dramatized scenes performed by actors.
The film is being developed with historians, battlefield experts, and descendants of the United States Colored Troops. Retired Army Colonel and actor Greg Gadson, known to audiences from the film Battleship, is attached to the project and will feature prominently in development and promotional materials. A Medal of Honor recipient will also be included to provide additional military perspective.
Firsthand accounts — letters, reports, and diaries from soldiers who fought at New Market Heights — are interpreted by actors, while experts provide historical context. This balance draws on the strengths of both narrative cinema and documentary storytelling, creating an immersive and historically grounded experience.
We are seeking development funding to complete this focused planning phase and prepare the project for full production financing.
At the conclusion of development, the project will have:
We are seeking $250,000 in development funding to complete this phase of work and position Valor at New Market Heights for full production financing.
This budget supports the creation of a promotional film, script development, research and field work, nonprofit fiscal sponsorship, and development planning required to responsibly advance the project.
Valor at New Market Heights is a story that has waited more than 160 years to be fully told. This development phase ensures it is told with care, integrity, and craft.
If you have any questions you can reach out to Roland Waddell.
roland@onyxxcommunicationsllc.com
