Anyone Know Anything about this Photo of Black Veterans

Pat Young

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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I wonder if any of you know anything about this photo of black veterans.

veterans day.PNG
 
Thanks. Good start. Anyone know anything else about them?

Did a little digging about this topic as I've seen the photo before somewhere and finally remembered where - http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/29/1219352/-100-years-ago-today-in-Gettysburg

At the bottom the photo is featured and it mentions some more about it from the article in the author's words -

PS. Oh, and remember how this was an all-white event? Well, not completely. I recently came across this photo a couple old gents from Philadelphia who put on their old Union medals and GAR ribbons and campaign hats and made sure the United States Colored Troops, the "Sable Arm" of the nation, was also present in Gettysburg in July, 1913.... Jim Crow be damned!

USCT_at_GB13.jpg

Despite segregation, black Union veterans at 1913 Reunion

No names mentioned, but its start.
 
Interesting to know why they were there, since there were no colored troops in Gettysburg, so, really it could not had been a "reunion" for them, in the strict sense of the term.

I'm unsure if the reunion began initially for only veterans of Gettysburg or not, but from what I read about the reunion well over 50,000 veterans both Union & Confederate descended upon the town, so I think most of the veterans at the reunion were not solely from the battle. Maybe they couldn't find enough living survivors of the battle so they extended the invite to everyone who fought in the war. What I wouldn't have given to have attended that reunion! :geek:
 
What the article said about that picture:

PS. Oh, and remember how this was an all-white event? Well, not completely. I recently came across this photo a couple old gents from Philadelphia who put on their old Union medals and GAR ribbons and campaign hats and made sure the United States Colored Troops, the "Sable Arm" of the nation, was also present in Gettysburg in July, 1913.... Jim Crow be damned!

A further note from the author in the comments:

Mostly it had to do with the Southerners saying, via their governors and Senators, "If those black troops come we won't come." Since the whole point of the Reunion was to illustrate reconciliation, and reconciliation between the sections ranked sharply higher than reconciliation between the races, this was a powerful stance. They could wreck the whole thing simply by staying home.


So the GAR gave way reluctantly.


On the other hand, according to research by Dr. Barbara Griffiths, professor of military history at U. of Central Florida in her book 'The Won Cause', they gave way not altogether privately. There were many GAR posts, Northern and Western mayors, and even some governors, who protested out loud, grousing, "Who the hell won that war anyway?"
According to Dr. Griffiths there were a number of GAR posts who publicly proclaimed if the USCT men were barred THEY would not attend, and that the rest of the GAR men shouldn't either! So, while this feeling was not as widespread nor as strong as the UCV "Hell, no, we won't go if THOSE men are there," it existed.


So the run up to the Reunion had some touchy moments and there were some doubts that it would (or even should) happen at all.
Even though it was only a partial healing, I'm delighted that it did.


Shalom.


WineRevpatbahn
Jun 29 · 11:30:52 A


P.S. Can anybody make out the medals these two gentlemen are wearing in the photo, or the insignias on their hats? Those might give us some clues.
 
Pretty funny, can you imagine those veterans being told " You can't come? " Not noticeably. I'm sorry- it did make me smile thinking about it. You read of the USCT Troop's extraordinary courage during the war and wonder with what incredulity this message was received by these 2. Were not afraid of much half an entire century earlier, it'd take more than elderly battalions stopping their movements now.
 
An old thread,but I thought I'd add this here. It's from the Baltimore Evening Sun, July 4,1913, on a page largely dedicated to the Gettysburg reunion.
hjbjhnj.png
I offer it without comment on its editorial content. But, I do find a number of period sources agreeing with the stated "300 colored veterans" having attended.

I am currently doing some research on colored veterans at the 50th anniversary encampment, which I will post in a new thread.
 
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