Pennington Ceremony Pays Tribute to Black Civil War Soldiers at Historic African Cemetery

Today, the People’s Organization For Progress will travel to Mercer County to honor Black Civil War Soldiers at the Pennington African Cemetery, located at 413-17 South Main Street, Pennington, New Jersey. Departing Montclair at 10 AM, they are expected to arrive by noon. “We aim to pay homage to the African-American soldiers interred here who valiantly served in the Union Army,” expressed Lawrence Hamm, Chairman of the organization. He highlighted the need for recognizing their critical contributions despite facing discrimination within Union ranks. Over 200,000 Black men fought for the Union, with a staggering 40,000 lives lost. “They persevered, striving for freedom and equality, deserving of tribute today," Hamm affirmed. The cemetery, established in 1863, holds the graves of at least ten Black soldiers. The Pennington African Cemetery Association will host a Memorial Day program at 12:30 PM. For inquiries, call (973)801-0001 for the People’s Organization and (609)915-0313 for the Pennington African Cemetery.