Over 150 citizens gathered to remember the Civil War service of 5 black Amherst residentsFor the second late summer Sunday in a row Amherst hosted a rare solemn ceremony to remember war, something the outspoken town does rather routinely, but usually from only one perspective: anti war.
Last week we honored, remembered and cried for 3,000 Americans slaughtered ten years earlier in a two-hour killing spree unprecedented in our history--especially since civilians comprised over 90% of the casualties.
Today we gathered to remember and honor five black soldiers from Amherst who fought in the Civil War, another unprecedented event in our history--the costliest conflict ever when measured in American casualties.
The five veterans are all buried in West Cemetery, where its most famous occupant, Emily Dickinson, tends to overshadow all the other deserving souls buried there. Not today however.
Raymond Brooks, a Native American, and great-great grandson of Christopher Thompson
Bob Romer, Veterans Agent Steven Connor, Reynolds Winslow, Dave Ziomek 
Charles Thompson: upstanding citizen of Amherst and the USA
Amherst's "Sacred Dead Tablets" in storage
7 comments:
wish i knew about this before hand.
very cool. thanks for the report.
~ecosse
No problem (The kind of event I would have attended anyway.)
Yeah, the town really needs to hire a PR person to promote events such as this.
The 9/11 ceremony a week earlier also could have used better promotion.
Another instance of reverse discrimination. A bunch of white people died too. When will the black/white distinction finally be irrevelant? When whites are the minority?
Call me racist if you want. The rememberance should have been for all who fought. Not five black ones.
The rememberence was held because these graves were not flagged during the Memorial Day events in May. This was a way to make up for being left out. That is what the Gazette said.
Was anyone holding up a "NO WAR FOR COTTON!" banner?
This was such a great and important celebration of men who gave their lives for their country, the freedom of many people and justice. No words can belittle them or the Amherst residents who honored them.
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