By Jonathan Forney
Special to the AFRO
People exiting Washington, D.C.’s U Street – African American Civil War Memorial – Cardozo Metro stop were welcomed by dozens of people chanting names into microphones on a blustery November morning. The performance went on for over an hour as tens of thousands of names were rattled off to a crowd of Black veterans and their descendants. The scene may have confused onlookers, but those who needed to know understood the significance.
Tuesday, Nov. 11 marked the Reading of the Names for the African American Civil War Memorial Museum (AACWM). More than 200,000 names of United States Colored Troops were read in acknowledgment of their service.
The ceremony was originally intended to kick off the museum’s official reopening after delays and funding troubles. However, due to the protracted government shutdown and supply chain issues, the museum’s opening has been delayed further. While the museum’s renovations continue, the memorial statue and monument depicting the names of Black troops are available to the public.
“I’ve walked past that wall so many times but I had no idea that I had ancestors on it,” Jhermaine Drakeford, who had two ancestors named in the ceremony, said. “It was a full-circle moment that we’ve achieved so much. We owe a debt of gratitude to them.”
Drakeford moved to D.C. with his mother and siblings in 1992. His two honored ancestors are Wilson (Wilkinson) Diggs (1865), who served in the first regiment, and David Dobbins (1864), of the 15th regiment.
Speakers introduced the states and regiments that fought in the war before reading off the list of names. Descendents of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman were also in attendance to explain how their ancestors contributed to the war effort.
Ernestine “Tina” Martin Wyatt, Tubman’s great-great-great-grandniece recognized her ancestor’s contributions as a spy, foot soldier, nurse and more. She also spoke about how Tubman warned then-president Abraham Lincoln that the country cannot “have democracy when you have slavery.”
The Armed Forces were not officially desegregated until a 1948 executive order from Harry Truman. Despite the official policy change, event speakers reminded the audience that Black people have fought and died for this country long before then.
“We knew that there were African Americans in every war, but we didn’t have good documentation until the Civil War,” retired Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris said in his opening remarks.
Harris was tapped to give the opening speech after the original speaker fell ill. He delivered remarks about the “thread of courage” that unites Black people serving back then and today.
“United States Colored Troops built the foundation, but the house of equality was still under construction,” said the career Navy officer whose decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various other unit and campaign awards.
He highlighted the bravery it took for these troops to fight for a country that didn’t fully recognize their humanity.
“True patriotism is not blind allegiance, but the will to fight for the promise of America,” Harris said.
When it came time to read the 209,145 names, Dr. Frank Smith, AACWM founder and executive director, proposed a creative solution. He set up 10 microphones in front of the memorial statue then encouraged community members to read off several dozens of names at once.
By combining their voices, speakers were able to read off the thousands of names much faster than if a single speaker were to go one at a time.
Culturally significant figures from the District added remarks. Among them, Virginia Ali, co-founder of U Street staple Ben’s Chili Bowl; and city Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, D-Ward 1, whose constituency includes the U Street neighborhood.
“We must never forget those who gave their all so that we may have our all,” Ali said.