IVANHOE — With stories spanning hundreds of years, Snow Hill Missionary Baptist Church honored the contributions of black soldiers who served their country while facing adversity.
The program held Saturday was part of the Black History Month celebration for the church. The event began at the Jump and Run Cemetery, where deceased members of the military were honored. It continued at the church with veterans sharing their experiences.
During the ceremony, members from different branches of the military spoke about their experiences. One of them was Merlousese D. Bradley. The U.S. Army veteran reached the ranks of chief warrant officer three. She spoke about overcoming the challenges of being a black woman in the military. Her faith got her through a lot.
“History was made today,” Bradley said. “This is something that people need to know. These are people who protected the country and it’s good to know what they had to go through. It’s a challenge.”
Representatives and history keepers of Battery B, 2nd United States Colored Light Artillery participated in the event. Throughout the year, volunteers reenact Civil War battles and preserve the story of the group. They assisted Snow Hill Missionary Baptist Church by firing a cannon at the ceremony. Music at the church was provided the Union High School Band.
Edward Gillim, an organizer for the event, believes it’s important for the community to remember the past. He hopes it’s going to continue in the future.
“It’s not a lot of background history on it,” Gillim said. “Events like these allow us to enrich the education in rural communities. I think it’s really helped out to show that history is here.”
The Rev. Al Carr, Christian Education Ministry, was one of several church members who led the program. He was joined by Pastor Gliston Morrisey and the Rev. Ullyses Newkirk. Carr expressed the importance of sharing history with younger people and the service of veterans, which allowed them to be free today.
“Many times they’re overlooked,” Carr said. “We wanted to make sure they got recognized.”
