The First Memorial Day with David W. Blight

When Memorial Day was first celebrated, America was learning to be America again. More than 600,000 soldiers had fallen over four years, and the wounds had not yet healed. New-York Historical Scholar Trustee David Blight speaks about a Memorial Day celebration that took place on May 1, 1865. That day, Black workmen went to the site of an outdoor Confederate prison and in Charleston, South Carolina, and reburied the dead Union soldiers that had been left in a mass grave. They built a high fence around the property to protect the site, then joined with white missionaries and teachers in a march of 10,000 around the grounds. Trustee Blight believes this event-which he discovered during the course of archival research-to have been the earliest Memorial Day, founded by African Americans in a ritual of remembrance and consecration. This followed a war that had been about the triumph of their emancipation over a slaveholders’ republic and is a riveting story of true patriotism.
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[@STORMYFAYE]

Black African-Americans have always shown indescribable homage and humanity towards those who show us any or the lease measure of kindness and respect.

[@thomasmc2506]

Beautiful, important reminder of how the very downtrodden always step up to do the right thing. Thank you, Mr. Blight, N-YHS.

[@jamespaynetsukada6317]

this man has an amazing voice

[@robertbrooks4628]

Thank you to Dr. Blight.

[@sharonbrown6202]

Thank you for sharing this hidden treasure.

[@edwardrgoodwinjr8812]

Thank you for bringing this account to light Dr Blight

[@inesspanni]

Thank you for this important piece of American history!💖😪💖

[@BillboardOfMercy]

Thank you

[@cedriccantey880]

Thank you sir

[@wesleythomas4156]

Thank you Sir for this amazing discovery.

[@claudialawton9762]

Amen

[@vincentaseron78]

He kind of sounds like Bryan Cranston.