On Juneteenth, a journalist honors ancestor at ceremony for Black soldiers who served in Civil War

By Darren Sands | The Associated Press The Associated Press religion reporter Darren Sands poses by the gravestone of his great-great-great-great-grandfather and Civil War soldier Hewlett Sands in Westbury, N.Y., Monday, June 17, 2024. Hewlett Sands, born into slavery, served in the 26th United States Colored Infantry. He will be honored in a Juneteenth ceremony in Washington, D.C., along with about 200,000 other Black soldiers who fought to preserve the Union. (AP Photo/Lonnie Sands) WASHINGTON (AP) — It was the middle of the night in the summer of 2021 when I finally found the missing piece of my family history. My great-great-great-great grandfather Hewlett Sands, born into slavery in Oyster Bay, New York in 1820, was one of the more than 200,000 names listed on the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C. That meant he was a soldier who served in a United States Colored Troops regiment that fought for the Union – and the freedom we still celebrate today. As the screen glowed, a mix of emotions – anxiety, elation, pride – washed over me. It was the first step in understanding the story of his life. I want to share what I know about him! The...