The Navy Memorial Celebrates Black History Month
WHAT: Black History Month at the Navy Memorial
WHEN: Throughout February, 2010
WHERE: United States Navy Memorial
Naval Heritage Center
701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
www.navymemorial.org
COST: Free and open to the public.
CONTACT: 202-380-0723.
As part of Black History Month, the US Navy Memorial is proud to present a month of events celebrating African-American sailors throughout history.
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Screenings of “The Odyssey of Captain Healy” all month long in the Burke Theater
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Display of art works honoring the service of African Americans in the Coast Guard
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Display of John Charles Roach’s painting of the famed World War II destroyer escort USS Mason (DE-529), the first US Navy ship to have an African American crew.
In addition to these programs that run throughout the month, we will be holding special events. On on February 4th, 2009 at 10:30 A.M., the US Postal Service will unveil the new series Distinguished Sailors stamps. On February 10th, the Navy Memorial will host a program honoring the efforts of African-Americans in the US Coast Guard and its predecessor services, the US Revenue Cutter Service, US Lighthouse Service and the US Life Saving Service.
The event includes:
· An introduction by RADM Stephen W. Rochon, USCG (Ret), Director of the Executive Residence and White House Chief Usher
· An illustrated lecture on African-Americans in the Coast Guard by Dr. William Thiesen, USCG Atlantic Area Historian
· A screening of “The Odyssey of Captain Healy” a documentary on “Hell Roaring Mike Healy,” born a slave, he rose to become a famed officer in the Revenue Cutter Service and a legend in the history of Alaska.
· A preview screening of a portion of the new documentary “The Rescue Men: The Story of the Pea Island Surfmen” on the heroic 1896 rescue of all hands aboard the schooner E.S. Newman by the only all-black lifesaving crew in American History, US Lifesaving Station Pea Island, North Carolina
· Display of Coast Guard artworks highlighting the contributions of African Americans
On February 23rd, we present, as part of our Authors on Deck series, a presentation on Bluejackets & Contrabands: African-Americans and the Union Navy by Barbara Tomblin and the lecture “Researching African-American Service in the Union Navy” by Constance Brooks at 12:00 Noon.