FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Hundreds of Fort Drum Soldiers and Civilians came to celebrate Black History Month on Feb. 18 at the Commons, and they left with a greater appreciation for several notable African American figures who shaped the world today.
The event began with an interactive quiz of "Who Am I?" where Soldiers stood up and gave clues about Civil Rights activists and sports, education and entertainment figures. Sgt. Jalisa Buchanan, Spc. Alexandra Ramirez and Pfc. D.J. Perkins, of 10th Sustainment Brigade, and Sgt. Isaiah Burton, of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, all performed musical selections.
Keynote speaker, retired Lt. Col. David O. Rockwell, who once served in 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), took the attendees through a detailed timeline of African American history from slavery to the presidency.
Rockwell, who has studied Civil War history for decades, came to learn things about that war he had never known before when he was further researching the contributions of the African American Soldier.
He gave an extensive insight into former slaves who would later serve in the Union Army -- approximately 200,000 who served as Soldiers and sailors, with 25 who earned the Medal of Honor for their heroism -- and credited shifting the tide of the battle to the combat power that black Soldiers provided.
As a part of the 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum Equal Opportunity Office's theme, "A Century of Black Life, History and Culture," attendees received a history lesson on Sgt. William Carney, a member of the storied 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry Regiment, and 1st Lt. John Warren Jr., who served in Vietnam as a platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion (Mechanized), 22nd Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Both men were awarded Medals of Honor, and the event was dedicated in their honor.
For 1st Lt. Shaniqua Walton, a battle captain assigned to 10th Mountain Division G6 Communications, Rockwell's lesson was both educational and inspiring.
"Serving as an African American Army officer, I appreciate the position I hold just that much more from all the sacrifices our fellow African American Soldiers and sailors endured," Walton said. "It woke me up that if it wasn't for our past, I wouldn't be as 'comfortable' in life in the Army as I am now."
The extensive history lesson Rockwell provided the attendees was something Walton said most will never get another chance to hear again.
"Every Black History Month observation normally holds the same agenda where the guest speaker talks about a certain African American as a focus, but with this guest speaker, he actually provided great insight on how it all started to where we are in today's life," Walton added. "You will never hear someone break black history down from beginning to end like the way the guest speaker did, and it be relevant to our everyday life as a Soldier."
Col. Thomas Macdonald, 10th Mountain Division (LI) chief of staff, said he enjoyed the walk back through history in hearing about the many contributions of those in uniform to get the nation to where it is today.
"We learn that anything is possible," Macdonald said. "But, of course, we have to keep working and moving forward."
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