Virginia's First Monument Honors 70 Black Union Soldiers of the Civil War

New Monument for Black Union Soldiers

• 🥉 A new 14-foot bronze monument has been erected outside First Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, Virginia, to honor 70 Black Union soldiers from Franklin County.
• ✊ These soldiers fought for their freedom, citizenship, and the Union during the Civil War.

The Raising the Shade Project

• 💡 The monument is the result of the Raising the Shade Project, initiated by the Franklin County NAACP and community supporters.
• 🗺️ This project aims to tell the stories of the 70 men, whose names are engraved on the monument's base.
• 🌟 The initiative began in response to a voter referendum that blocked the relocation of a Confederate statue.

Significance and Impact

• 📌 The memorial is the first of its kind in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of fewer than 25 nationwide honoring United States Colored Troops (USCT).
• 🤝 The monument signifies Franklin County coming together, highlighting common ground over differences.

Personal Connection and Remembrance

• 👨‍ descendants of the soldiers, like Raphael Sears, whose third great-grandfather Peter Hooks is honored, find the experience spiritual.
• 🗣️ Sears expressed that seeing his ancestor's name on the monument ensures his service is remembered and he is no longer erased or hidden.
• ✅ The project aims to give these historical figures their lives back and ensure their existence is acknowledged.