While the conflict between the Union and Confederacy over the issue of slavery is a critical part of the Civil War, the contributions blacks made to secure their own freedom during this time can sometimes be overlooked.
Keeping that in mind, Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem decided to celebrate these contributions during a luncheon at The Commons at Fort McPherson in honor of African-American/Black History Month.
"This year's theme, 'African-Americans and the Civil War,' invites us to reflect on 150 years since the start of the Civil War and on the patriots of a young country who fought for the promises of justice and equality laid out by our forebears," said C.J. West, retired DA Civilian and narrator for the luncheon. "As we celebrate, we recognize the many contributions of African-Americans to our country."
To highlight these contributions during the Civil War, displays featuring books, photographs, replica uniforms and equipment were created to educate the audience. Smaller displays were also located at each dining table.
Col. Deborah Grays, U.S. Army Garrison commander, spoke of how the service of black Americans, both in the Civil War and other wars, helped build the foundation today's black Soldiers stand on.
"Our success is in part due to Soldiers of the past," Grays said, praising black Soldiers who fought to defend and preserve the union even when not given all the rights of the country. "Black history is American history."
Grays said it is important to remember the nation's diversity, saying the Army finds strength in such diversity. Currently, African-Americans make up approximately 21 percent of the active duty force, she said.
Grays added that it is important that future history books reflect that diversity.
In looking to the future, guest speaker Paul Howard, Fulton County district attorney (DA), also spoke of diversity.
Howard, who in 1996 became the first African-American elected district attorney in Georgia, spoke of his experiences as a DA.
"I spent a lot of my life being told I couldn't do it," he said.
Rather than accepting those rejections, Howard said he pushed forward, overcoming humble beginnings picking peas and cotton, driving 23 miles to go to high school because his local school only went to eighth grade, and overcoming his defeat in his first bid for Fulton County's solicitor general.
"Sometimes you don't always succeed the first time. You have to learn to get back up and try again," he said of his first electoral defeat.
Besides encouraging people to stand back up after their failures, Howard said people should take wisdom from an African tale.
The story tells the story of two people who decided they wanted to catch big fish. Rather than stay on the banks, they got a boat and went out into the middle of the river.
"You can't accomplish anything on the sidelines. You got to get out in the middle of things," Howard said.
Continuing the story, Howard said while fishing, the two saw a boy floating down river. They pulled him into boat, gave him mouth to mouth, revived him and asked him how he got in the water. The boy said the evils of gang life were responsible. More bodies floated by, thrown into the river by other evils, such as drugs and crime.
Realizing there were too many people floating by to save, one of the men in the boat started swimming upstream to see who was throwing people into the water and to try and stop it at the source.
"Sometimes, you have to get out of the boat and swim upstream," Howard said. "Don't let people fool you into thinking you can't swim."
Swimming, however, requires a goal, and Howard shared two goals for people.
"Help us with gang problems. Work with me to make sure no young person joins a life of crime," he said, adding that since taking office, he has noticed a dramatic increase in gang-related crime cases.
Secondly, he said, everyone must work together to improve low graduation rates among black males.
"Only 34 percent of black boys graduate school," he said. "We won't solve our unemployment rate with a graduation rate of 34 percent."
Knowing these two problems, Howard said people now need to take action to fix them.
"We can't look past or over problems, we need to face them," he said. "If you want something, it's not just going to fall in your lap. You have to get out and work for it."
Like the difficulties faced by blacks in the Civil War timeframe, Howard said, people today must also fight for change.
"Someone in this room is on the verge of making black history, making human history," Howard said.
"Don't pay attention to the naysayers. Yes you can. That's what Black History Month is all about."
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