Lifestyle
Two national parks honor Black soldiers on June 11
The contributions of black soldiers throughout the Civil War shall be recognized at a ceremony in Kentucky on June 22 at 2 p.m Mammoth Cave National Park. A commemoration in honor of Juneteenth shall be held at the side of Camp Nelson 160 National Monumentvol anniversary of the conscription of black soldiers.
“I think this is a special way to pay tribute to these American heroes and their families,” said Steve Phan, chief of interpreting at Camp Nelson.
The ceremony pays tribute to the countless Black Americans who fought for freedom, equality and civil rights during and after the war.
“Most people haven’t heard of Camp Nelson,” Phan said. “Even Civil War buffs and enthusiasts, when they hear about Camp Nelson, they don’t know much about it.”
On June 13, 1864, the U.S. Army authorized the draft of Black men for military service at eight major recruiting and training centers throughout Kentucky—the last state to permit Black soldiers to enlist. Camp Nelson it was the third largest recruitment center within the country, bringing together over 10,000 men.
William Garvin, who was enslaved at birth and enlisted at Camp Nelson to regain his freedom, is one among the park’s most famous names. He later became a guide and explorer of nearby Mammoth Cave after the Civil War. Garvin is legendary for locating a maze-like cave passage called the Corkscrew.
During Friday’s June 11 events at Camp Nelson and Mammoth Cave, members of the reactivated twelfth U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery shall be presented with a special American flag. There may even be a duplicate of a tent camp with a cannon to point out what life was like for members of this regiment.
“I think it’s really important that the living legacy of African-American soldiers and their families continues,” Phan said.
Both the ceremony and the demonstration on the camp are free and open to the general public.
The National Park Service invites everyone to commemorate June 11 by visiting any national park freed from charge on June 19.