MSUM to build statue to honor black civil war soldier

(Fargo, ND) -- Minnesota State University Moorhead will be building a statue honoring a Black civil war soldier.

The statue is being built to commemorate Felix Battles, who was born into slavery before he escaped north, and eventually joined the Union army in Minnesota.

After the war, Battles later moved to Moorhead and opened his own barbershop.

Organizers have proposed placing the statue at the site of Battles' former front yard.

Ground breaking on the project will take place in a few weeks.