And together we mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of captive africans in english north america. Today is one of reflection and it is also one of celebration. We are gathered in the front historic very institution. In fact this is the oldest Cultural Organization in the commonwealth of virginia. For 200 years weve been collecting materials for the purpose of telling the story of this place. Some 14 million historical artifacts are housed in the walls behind me. We have much to be proud of. But we still have so much we must do to be the state History Museum we all reserve all deserve to represent all and , welcome all. [applause] woodson, a virginian and the man considered the founder of black history, wrote those who have no record of their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of history. How very true. We must do more, be more, and we will. We are committed at the museum to a Bright Future dedicated to inclusion and access. The exhibit
And together we mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of captive africans in north america. Todays gathering is one of remembrance and reflection, and also one of celebration. We are gathered in the front lawn of an historic institution, in fact, the oldest Cultural Organization in the commonwealth of virginia. For 200 years, weve been collecting materials for the purpose of telling the story of this place. Some 14 million artifacts are housed in the walls behind me. We have much to be proud of. But we still have so very much we must do to be the state History Museum we deserve, to represent all and welcomes all. [applause] dr. Carter woodson, the man considered the founder of black history wrote, those who have no record of their forebears lose the inspiration that comes from the teaching of history. How true. We must do more and we will. We are committed at the museum to a Bright Future dedicated to inclusion and access. The exhibit is a legacy project of the 2019 commemoration,
Believe that if those black regiments had been allowed to lead the assault, that would have been it. In other words, we can imagine black soldiers marching, charging over blanford hill, right, into petersburg. Thats a very soothing image. I think that tells us more about how we want to remember the war than the battle itself, because anyone who has studied civil war battles, they never go as planned. Right . Theres always something that goes afoul. So is it any surprise that given this massive detonation that no one really can predict what it will do to the landscape and whats beyond it. Remember, its not just that front confederate line they have to deal with. This is a complex sort of maze of bombproofs, traverses. Part of the problem is in the 1920s, the crater battlefield was an 18hole golf course. So a lot of that battlefield has been smoothed over in one way or the other. You really are hardpressed to get a sense of what it would have looked like in the 1860s. So would it have ch
A year i felt good about being a black person. It was on april 9th. We. Wkvy celebrated emancipation. We talked about lincoln. We talked about freedom. Thats when i really felt good. The other times was an existence as if we were pushing a barrel up a hill. Thank you everyone. I really enjoyed that. Thank you for your questions and your time. [ applause ] once again, kevin, thank you very much for you spending time with us and i want to again, thank st. Pauls episcopal search for this venue. I think this was the perfect setting for this venue. I want to thank you for taking time out of your day and evening to be with us. We hope that you were fulfilled tonight. That you were stimulated somewhat tonight by kevins words. We encourage you to continue learning about petersberg, the american civil war, and where weve come over the last 150 years as a nation but again, thank you all very much for your time with us this evening. [ applause ] with live could havage of the house here on cspan 3
Said, quote, the whites retreated into the niggers. Others were called having to, quote, fix bayonets to stop them. This was a desperate moment for the men in the 4th division, but for the other three divisions, there was now an added element of an enraged enemy that was likely to treat them as accomplices in citing foreign slaves in selection. George kilmer noted, quote, it has been properly asserted that white men fell back into the greater in order to keep whites from confederate vengeance. The 36th massachusetts, quote, mix them up so they, the confederates, didnt show white men any mercy at all. A few days into the battle, charles j. Mills of the 56th massachusetts, spoke for many when he confided to his mother, quote, they cannot be trusted for anything and are, in short, a hideous mistake, i fear. He, of course, was referring to the black division. The three white divisions had spent the morning holding precariously to earthworks in and around the crater. But now their black com