As the nation transitions from the reverberations of Veterans Day, a profound gathering took place on U Street, where families, descendants, students, and supporters gathered to pay tribute to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) at the African American Civil War Memorial. This event transcended a single day of remembrance, evolving into a deep communal reflection on the sacrifices of over 200,000 soldiers who fought for a country that offered them little in return.
This year, Frank Smith, the executive director of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum, initiated an unprecedented commemoration: the simultaneous reading of every USCT soldier’s name. Responding to his call, people traveled from places such as Philadelphia, Tennessee, and Illinois, either to honor their ancestors or to stand in solidarity and witness this historic event.
The ceremony commenced with a stirring presentation of colors by George Mason University’s Eight Green Machine Regiment Band. For hours, the atmosphere was filled with the resonant reading of names by veterans, families, students, and descendants, each name reviving a story from the past.
During the event, Air Force veterans Jan Adams and Larry Spencer shared insights on the bravery, character, and determination of the USCT soldiers. They connected past to present, emphasizing the persistent themes of service and sacrifice in Black military history.
Among the attendees were descendants of two legendary American freedom fighters. Ernestine Tina Wyatt, Harriet Tubman’s third great-grandniece, expressed feeling overwhelmed as she listened to the names. She reflected on Tubman and the soldiers who risked everything for the liberty of future generations. Wyatt highlighted the significant moment when formerly enslaved individuals were permitted to fight alongside white soldiers during the Civil War, marking a momentous shift towards inclusion and empowerment.
Also present was Kevin Douglass Greene, Frederick Douglass’s third great-grandson and an Army veteran. Greene carries his ancestor’s legacy into modern discourse, connecting historical narratives with contemporary understandings of freedom.
Students from the Thurgood Marshall Learning Center in Rock Island, Illinois, participated in the reading. Invited by Smith after his visit to their school in May, these students, along with their advisors, Avery Pearl and Thurgood Brooks, described the event as creating an intergenerational bridge. They felt a personal connection to the soldiers whose stories are often absent from textbooks, describing the experience as “nostalgic.”
As the gathering concluded, the memorial no longer seemed like a mere collection of engraved stones. It became a living testament held together by breath, memory, and the enduring importance of the sacrifices made by these soldiers in America’s history.
As the city resumed its usual pace, the echoes of the names lingered. Those who gathered at U Street and 10th carried with them a poignant reminder of the cost of freedom and the importance of remembering its guardians.
Nailah Williams is a sophomore journalism major at Howard University. She can be reached on LinkedIn.
SEE ALSO:
Serving My Country, But Not Getting Paid
The Emotional Cost Of Belonging At A Black University In A White City
