Dr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoMay 26
On May 1, 1865, in the 1st spring of freedom, Black Charlestonians held a procession to honor Union soldiers buried in a mass grave.
They came with roses. With hymns. With children.
It was the 1st Memorial Day.
But America gave the credit to others & buried the memory.
#MemorialDay #History #Histodons #Politics #photography #blackandwhite
#blackmastodon
#blackandwhitephotography
1/21
Image: Black American Civil War Memorial, Spirit of Freedom statue by Ed Hamilton 1997, NPS, Washington DC.
Show threadPeter Link 🍉🇨🇺🇵🇸🐧

@Deglassco

Thanks for posting this. It inspired me to websearch a bit and I found this article from Essence.

The Often Overlooked Black Origins Of Memorial Day - Essence | Essence — https://www.essence.com/news/black-origins-memorial-day/

The Often Overlooked Black Origins Of Memorial Day

The initial commemoration of Memorial Day is often disputed. However, it's believed that one commemoration from fallen Black solidiers took place in Charleston, South Carolina, before any others around the nation.

Essence
May 27 at 2:41amWeb