The Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County will host a special event on Saturday, June 27, to salute the legacy of Black veterans who’ve served across generations – from the Revolutionary War to the present day.
“Salute: Veterans of the Decades – A 250 Year Celebration” will pay tribute to the valor, perseverance and contributions of those who defended freedom and will feature storytelling, community reflection and a reenactment of Decoration Day.
“Often, there are so many stories that aren’t known of the contributions of the different wars,” said Deborah Price, the museum’s executive director, “and with this being the 250th anniversary (of the U.S.), I thought it was very important to let those stories be told at a time when we’re celebrating our independence, and everyone that contributed towards (that) independence.”
The earliest recorded observance of Decoration Day took place on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, shortly after the Civil War ended, according to the museum. Freed African Americans gathered at a former racetrack that had been used as a Confederate prison camp to decorate the graves of 257 Union soldiers who died in captivity and were hastily buried by the retreating Confederate army.
Decoration Day included laying flowers, building a white fence around the graves and creating an archway inscribed with the words, “Martyrs of the RaceCourse.”
The first Decoration Day was not only a tribute to fallen soldiers but also a celebration of Black liberation and the triumph over slavery. African Americans continued to play a prominent role in Memorial Day observances during Reconstruction, often leading ceremonies and using speeches to challenge efforts to glorify the Confederacy.
The Charleston observance highlights the central role of African Americans in founding Memorial Day, emphasizing remembrance, freedom and civic participation.
“We’re honoring all of those that played a vital role in history,” Price explained. “ … Think about the things that are right in front of you. What would you do? … We’re still walking, and we’ve got to continue to walk for education, economics … For everybody, for everybody.”
Louise Calloway, founder of the Underground Railroad Museum, transformed a deeply personal calling into a lasting public legacy, illuminating the hidden stories of Black history with clarity, dignity and purpose, according to the museum’s website.
Her vision centered on the responsibility to preserve, educate and ensure that future generations will not only remember the past, but understand its power. When people see the space where the museum is located, they normally don’t think of all the information that’s stored inside, Price emphasized, but it’s full of knowledge and the doors are always open.
“I have an appreciation of the footprints that came before me, and the importance of knowing the facts, the importance of understanding the why and the understanding of appreciating the power of a seed,” Price noted. “A seed being communication, an act, a smile or a word or a simple look.
“A seed comes in various forms. The important thing is what you do with it.”
For more information on the museum or its upcoming programs, visit https://urmbcnj.org/home.
The Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County honored the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion – also known as the Six Triple Eight – the only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas during World War II, with a special ceremony on May 23.
