Black History Month in Whiteville, NC

In celebration of Black History Month, let me encourage you to attend a public memorial service for two African American men who fought in defense of their state in the War Between the States.

Sunday, February 8, 2009 at 2:30pm

Horace Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Boardman, NC

Address: 11001 Old Highway 74, Evergreen, NC 28438; (910) 671-9197‎

For immediate release:

In honor of Black History Month the North Carolina Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 794, “"The Columbus County Volunteers",” will honor two of Columbus County’'s black Confederate soldiers with a grave marker dedication ceremony.

The two men, Sandy Oliver and Joshua Nichols, will be honored by Confederate reenactors including a group of black Confederate reenactors, and the firing of Civil War era cannons in salute to their service to the Confederacy.

The keynote speaker will be retired New Jersey black educator, Marvin Nicholson, an expert in African-American involvement in the War Between the States and American history. Nicholson holds degrees from the University of Southern California and Seaton Hall. (Pictured: Battery B US Colored Troops. Sgt. Major Marvin Nicholson is second from left.)

“When I retired from New Jersey schools 13 years ago, I didn’t know that blacks had fought in the Civil War. It blew my mind,” Nicholson exclaimed.

Nicholson, who began reenacting in 1996 following his retirement, recommends Free Negroes in North Carolina, 1790-1860, by Duke University history professor emeritus John Hope Franklin, “A History of the United States,” by Howard Zinn, an historian and social activist, as good sources of information on Black Confederate soldiers. He suggests the WPA-era “Slave Narratives”, (U.S. Archives), calling them “must” reading for black Americans.

The service will be held on Sunday, February 8th, beginning at 2:30 PM at the Horace Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Boardman, NC.

The gravemarker dedication service is open to the public and you are urged to attend and bring along your family.

Contact: Bill Ghent Lt. Commander
Camp 794, “The Columbus County Volunteers”
North Carolina Sons of Confederate Veterans
grayghost1861@gmail.com ncscv.camp.794@gmail.com bill.ghent.scv@gmail.com