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Ceremony honors African-American contribution to US military

E-mail|Link|Comments () May 23, 2009 06:25 PM

(Video by Emma Rose Johnson/Globe Correspondent)

By Emma Rose Johnson, Globe Correspondent

Among several hundred people who gathered to celebrate African-American veterans in Roxbury's General Edward O. Gourdin Park today was the grand-nephew of the famed judge, general and athlete for whom the park is named.

Randall Tatum said he wanted to celebrate his grand-uncle’s life and the legacy.

“There were just so many parts to him,” he said as he listened to the military band playing “Taps” across the park. “He was quite the man.”

The 6th Annual African American Military Heritage Day, which was organized by the Organization of Afro-American Veterans, celebrated black military history from Crispus Attucks, who died in the Boston Massacre before the Revolutionary War, to today's soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This is an opportunity once a year to have the community come together, look at our history and see what should be corrected,” said Ralph Browne, president of the OAAV. “Today has been wonderful.”

Civil War re-enactors from the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the famous all-black regiments who fought during the war, set up a Civil War-era military encampment to illustrate African-American military history. Re-enactor Lieutenant Benny White, a retired Marine staff sergeant, said he was pleased to see so many people in attendance.

“We do this every year to honor all our veterans,” he said. “But this is the first time we’ve had a crowd this big.”

Colonel Sterling D. MacLeod, commander of the recently reorganized 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment, was the event's keynote speaker. MacLeod, who took command of the regiment in November, said he was inspired by the history of the regiment he now leads.

“They entrusted me with the 54th and it’s an honor I hold to be the highest in my 30-year career,” he said.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino who attended said that Memorial Day weekend should be more than just a day off from work.

“This is a time for people to stop their busy schedule and talk about the sacrifices others made for us,” he said.