Memorial Day is in one week. This weekend, most people will be getting ready for some good BBQ, planning to catch an all-white party or basking in the first sight of summer. I know we should be remembering loved ones and those who have died fighting for our country, but there may be other historical facts you didn’t know. Check out this little known Black history fact below:
Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May, 1, 1865 in Charleston, SC to honor 257 dead Union Soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for 2 weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom. They then held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 Black children where they marched, sang and celebrated. America has a rich history, unfortunately, most of it is unknown.