THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER
November 11, 1865
WELCOME TO OUR COLORED SOLDIERS.
The good people of Pennsylvania, ever ready to show their appreciation of every good and noble act, have, through the Garnet E.R. League, of Harrisburg , made most brilliant arrangements to tender a formal welcome to our returned heroes, who have risked life and limb in defence of the Republic.
This reception will occur on next Tuesday, 14th inst., at Harrisburg . The order of exercises will be found (at least a part of them) ion our advertising columns. As the management has been intrusted to those who are au fait in matters of the kind, no failure can be anticipated in that direction.
We earnestly hope our people will not fail to show their appreciation of the services of our country’s defenders, and we look for our leading men to swell the multitude. The hospitality of our colored citizens of Harrisburg being unbounded, nothing will be wanting to add to the comfort of all who may visit that city.
We expect the various Rail Road companies will reduce the fare to and from the seat of the reception. While speaking on this subject, we must mention the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road. This is one of the best managed roads in the State, and those who desire first class accommodations, will do well to patronize this company. Rally, then, and do not let our people in other States say that the colored citizens of the Keystone State are not alive to their own interests.
Courtesy of Accessible Archives
This is going to be a great tribute to our civil war soldiers!
are there any surviving records of the list of names of the soldiers who actually marched in the Harrisburg Grand Review?
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Having found that 9 (nine) of my ancestors fought in various USCT regiments, I am extremely proud and honored that this event will take place in their memory.
Fourteen members of my family have been identified. Of those 14, two enlisted in the Regular Army; one with the NY 107th, James S. Molson, is buried in the Marietta National Cemetery and is on their Roll of Honor; the other, David W. Molson, was with the PA 48th until he was discharged by General Burnside for being a Mulatto after having been a soldier in that regiment for eight months.
My great great grandfather, Samuel D. Molson, was on the organizing committee for the 1865 event.
Proudly, I will be at this event to honor those who have gone before.
Any information about whether the 60th USCT was represented at the Harrisburg Grand Review? The 60th was originally organized as the 1st Iowa Infantry of African Descent. I am trying to post a picture of their flag, restored and preserved at the State Historical Museum of Iowa. One of the main organizers of the regiment was Alexander Clark who was born in Washington County, PA, and lived there until age 14 or so. It’s reported that he was elected president of a gathering of 700 black veterans held in Davenport, Iowa, in fall 1865. In 1867, he sued the local schools on behalf of his 12-year-old daughter, and the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed her right (and equal rights for all Iowa students) the following year—86 years before Brown v. Board. After many other accomplishments, President Benjamin Harrison named him ambassador to Liberia (and his longtime friend Frederick Douglass to Haiti). We’re busy making a case for nominating Clark’s house as a National Historic Landmark, and it would be great to learn of any connection to the Grand Review. Thanks for what you’re doing!
Dan Clark
Muscatine, Iowa
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