From: "Harry Matthews" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]> Cc: <[log in to unmask]> Subject: March 2000 Update Re: USCT Institute for Local History and Family Research Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 10:30:56 -0500 Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook 8.5, Build 4.71.2173.0 X-Mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Good Morning [from Harry Bradshaw Matthews]: I am pleased to announce that the "United States Colored Troops Wall of Honor, New York, " has been prepared as a free-standing exhibit containing the identities of more than 2,300 black men and their white officers who served during the Civil War as members of two regiments organized in New York - the 20th USCT and the 26th USCT. The exhibit consists of 70 panels contained in five wooden structures. In more than 70 percent of the cases, the respective local community associated with a soldier is identified. The men enlisted primarily from New York and other eastern states, but some of the men were also from the Caribbean territories and Canada. The exhibit was introduced at the 3RD Annual Emancipation Memorial Ball which was held at Hartwick College on Saturday, February 19th. At the event, Hugh MacDougall of Cooperstown, and Leigh Eckmair of Gilbertsville, were honored for their outstanding research documenting the African American presence in Otsego County, NY, from the 1790's -1920s. A printed copy of the USCT Wall of Honor will be available for viewing at the following events: March 11, 2000 - First Annual Program in Recognition of Black and Native American Veterans Sponsored by the USCT Institute of Suffolk County, NY, and Suffolk County Executive Robert J. Gaffney; co-sponsored by Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency, Office of Affirmative Action & Minority Affairs, and the Suffolk County African-American Advisory Board. There is free admission to the event and refreshments will follow the presentations. The event will be held at the H. Lee Dennison Building, First Floor Media Room 11 am - 1 pm. For exact directions and location please call 631-853-4738; March 25, 2000 - Heritage and Leadership Forum, sponsored by Cheyney University and the Harrisburg, PA, Chit & Chat Teen Summit; a program for students grades 7-12 to learn how their heritage impacts their respective leadership styles (with a focus on the abolitionist movement and the USCT), with a tribute to African American Civil War journalist T. Morris Chester. For exact directions and location, please call 717-232-8003. I will be participating in each event and will be available to answer questions regarding an exhibit and lecture program which I will soon implement for the purpose of interesting local communities and educational bodies to host commemorative events in honor of the USCT, Underground Railroad and abolitionist movement. Harry Bradshaw Matthews President, USCT Institute [Associate Dean, Hartwick College] [log in to unmask]