When an unexpected e-mail arrived on November 1, 2018 to Harry Bradshaw Matthews, Associate Dean and Director of the Office of Intercultural Affairs at Hartwick College, he was surprised and humbled that information was sought by Hubert Martin, the president of a Memorial Historical Society in Alsace, France. He indicated that:

“A month ago, we had in our mountains a great commemoration, with the inauguration of a monument in memory of all the US soldiers killed in our valley in 1918. Several American families came to this ceremony. During the three days, more than thousand people came to all what we organized (remembrance, concert, celebration in church, exhibition, exchanges by French and American schools...).”

The request to Matthews, the founding president of the United States Colored Troops Institute, pertained to the famed 369th Infantry Regiment of World War I. The African American soldiers of the regiment, nicknamed

the Harlem Hell Fighters, fought under the French flag as part of the 93rd Division. The soldiers were welcomed by the French people, most of whom did not understand the segregationist policies of the United States.

In responding to Martin’s request for information, Matthews, on behalf of the USCT Institute, was able to forward to Martin Vol. 17, No.1, June 2015 issue of the USCT Civil War Digest that focused upon the 369th Infantry Regiment, as well as the brochure, Roll of Valor: WWI Officers and Men of the 369th Regiment (old 15th NY National Guard).

The soldiers were highly honored for valor, particularly for combat during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive during September, 1918. According to the American Battle Monuments Commission, 851 men of the 369th Regiment

Honoring African American Soldiers Home and Abroad

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Source: “Army Capt.Troy Mosely, 2001, Sechault, France, “ Harlem Hellfighters’ honored; all-black regiment helped French forces in WWI, by Adam Ramirez, 369th Regiment

MonumentCourtesy: Kaiserslautern Bureau

Le president de la section guebwilleroise du Souvenir francais, Gilbert Meyer, et les ecoliers du Haut-Florival ont depose une grebe en souvenir des combattants americains

tombes sur le massif vosglen

USCT Civil WarDigest

ISSN: 1947-7384

Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY 13820Vol. 20 No. 2, December 2018 United States Colored Troops Institute for Local History and Family Research

USCT Institute & ASFD OfficersHarry Bradshaw Matthews, President, Senior Fellow, Oneonta, NYDarlene Colón, Vice President, Senior Fellow, Lancaster, PAStanton F. Biddle, President Emeritus New York, NY

USCTI Senior Fellows, EmeritusDavid A. Anderson, Rochester, NY John R. Gourdin, Florence, SCHugh MacDougall, Cooperstown, NY

ASFD Fellows & Senior FellowsRoland Barksdale-Hall, Sharon, PA Charles L. Blockson, Norristown, PARuth E. Hodge, Carlisle, PASylvia Cooke Martin, Columbia, MDD. Gail Saunders, Nassau, BahamasMadeline O. Scott, Amherst, NY

USCTI Alumni Advisory CouncilKeisha M. Clarke, Jersey City, NJDesiree de Freitas, Bronx, NYSean Doyley, Yonkers, NYBrigitte Fielder, Madison, WIDarrell Howard, Yonkers, NYJustin Medina, Bronx, NYSonya Williams Howard, Yonkers, NYRoxanne J. Suarez, Frederick, MDMelissa Swaby, Raleigh, NCShamar Yee, New York, NY

Executive Director and EditorHarry Bradshaw Matthews

USCT Civil War DigestThis newsletter is published with editing and graphics support of the Office of Communications at Hartwick College. This publication is produced twice a year, spring and fall, for the membership of the USCT Institute and for other select distribution.

Send your comments to:Harry Bradshaw MatthewsAssociate Dean/USCT InstituteOffice of Intercultural Affairs410 Dewar HallHartwick CollegeOneonta, New York 13820607-431-4428

Newsletter

lost their lives during the offensive. The acts of bravery resulted in the regiment receiving the French Croix de Guerre, as well as 171 officers and men receiving individual medals.

According to Martin, the soldiers “were in Alsace and in the Vosges Mountains from middle October to 12 December 1918, as the first troops on the Rhine River, the new border with Germany.”

Martin also asked an additional question:

“Do you know some people whose relatives (great-grandfathers?) were soldiers in the 369th Infantry?” There was not an immediate positive answer to the question, but it provoked the USCTI President to explore the issue. Matthews returned to the Roll of Valor brochure to research the soldiers listed. A sampling of 24 of the soldiers were selected for further investigation. Collectively, they were native sons of the seven different states of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Connecticut, New Jersey, as well as the British West Indies of Antiqua, Jamaica, and St. Georges. Their ages at enlistment ranged from 18 to 31.

This information provided a strong clue that the totality of soldiers of the 369th Regiment enlisted from sites across the United States and the Caribbean. The 369th Infantry was one of four segregated forces of the 93rd Division. The other three were the 370th, 371st and the 372nd. All four were placed with French Divisions that provided the black soldiers with French equipment, rations, and French helmets.

While France and other countries continue to memorialize the heroics of African American soldiers of WWI, it has been quite fitting that darker brethren authors in the United States placed the soldiers within the historical context of their freedom journey throughout segregated America.

REMEMBRANCE BY AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOLARSEmmett J. Scott. Perhaps the most important text written by an African American about the history of the darker brethren in World

War I was penned in 1919 by Emmett J. Scott, Special Assistant to the Secretary of War. First editions of this book, according to WorldCat, are catalogued at approximately 325 libraries worldwide. There are also hundreds of digitalized copies.

Scott tells the story of African Americans through documents, testimonials, much data and pictures of both African American soldiers and officers. Just as important, Scott’s book includes the African American officers commissioned at the Seventeenth Provisional Training Regiment, Ft. Des Moines, October 15, 1917. Each officer is identified by name, home address, and National Army Camps to which they were assigned. Scott’s diligent work as Assistant to the Secretary of War was aided by his staff, as shown in the picture below.

Scott’s compilation included state tallies for the nearly 400,000 African American soldiers who served in the United States Army during the first Great War. The newly organized Selective Draft Law resulted in about 367,710 enlistments. The soldiers provided varied supports during the conflict.

Scott’s compilation also included the picture of the Color Bearers of the Harlem Hell Fighters as the soldiers prepared for service abroad.

W. Allison Sweeney. Another writing that has survived the ages is W. Allison Sweeney’s History of the American Negro in the Great World War. Undoubtedly, this book published in 1919 is still a major comprehensive reference source. WorldCat reports that approximately 100 major libraries have catalogued copies of the text. The 307-page book contains many black and white images. But, unlike Scott’s text, Sweeney’s includes a color image of African American nurses in parade in New York City carrying banners honoring the 15th National Guard.

Source: Scott’s Official History of the American Negro in the World War, by Emmett J. Scott, 1919

Courtesy: The Matthews Collection

Honoring Soldiers Continued from page 1

2 DECEMBER 2018 USCT Civil War Digest

Source: The Colored Color Bearers of the 15th National Guard, New York, Scott’s Official History of the American Negro in the World War, by Emmett J. Scott, 1919

Courtesy: The Matthews Collection

Miles Vandahurst Lynk. Another writing that has survived is Miles Vandahurst Lynk’s 1919 book, The Negro Pictorial Review of the Great War. The book was published by Twentieth Century Art Company. Thankfully, WorldCat shows that four libraries have preserved the book, namely the New York Public Library and those at Union Presbyterian Seminary, University of Michigan, and the University of Virginia.

The author clarified that his text was not a “history” of the recent war, but rather “presented to the reading public for the purpose of more fully giving the aims, aspirations and accomplishments of the Negro activities in the war just closed.”

Lynk further expressed, “holding his gun without a tremor and aiming it without a fault, the Negro fought to hold the American ballot without a sigh and mark it without a single fear. Any hand good enough to pull a trigger in defense of the American ballot is good enough to put a cross mark on that ballot and have it counted.” His voice was aspirational in tone, reflecting President Abraham Lincoln’s

voice that black men had earned the right to vote because of their heroics as soldiers during the Civil War.

Lynk indicated that the presence of the African American soldiers was recalled by a French woman who wrote: “The Americans! For months they had been discussed, they have been expected and there was great curiosity; groups of people go down to the public square of the town where they see upon the white street the first ranks of the Allied soldiers.”

“But, what a surprise – they are BLACK soldiers! Black Soldiers! Great astonishment, a little fear. The rural population, not well-informed, knows the Negro of Africa, but that from America – the country of the classical type, characterized by the cold, smooth white face – that from America could come this dark group, none could believe his own eyes.” She continued, “We admire their forms, handsome, vigorous and athletic; their intelligent and loyal faces, with their large, gleaming eyes, at times dreamy and with a bit of sadness in them.”

By all accounts, the darker brethren fought with distinction. Like the Harlem Hell Fighters of the 369th, the 370th Regiment was honored for valor, with the soldiers having distinguished themselves in both the Meuse-Argonne and Oise-Aisne campaigns. According to Fighting for Respect: African American Soldiers in WWI by Jami L. Bryan, 71 of the regiment’s soldiers received the French Croix de Guerre, while another 21 received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).

Not to be overlooked, the 371st Regiment served on the front line in the Verdun area, as well as served heroically in the Champagne offense. The French Croix de Guerre was presented to 123 of the soldiers, while 26 others were presented with the Distinguished Service Cross.

The 372nd engaged in the American assault in Champagne and later were among those who captured Monthois. During the latter counter attacks, the regiment suffered 600 casualties, but stood its ground. The entire regiment was honored with the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. In addition, individual medals were awarded to 116 privates, 1 4 noncommissioned officers and 43 officers.

Ross D. Brown. An additional text that has survived is Ross D. Brown’s The Negro and the Next War. The 16-page booklet was published by the author in 1935 and provided a summary of the achievements of African Americans during battle and everyday life. More importantly, it depicts the role that black warriors have played in the upward mobility of their families and communities.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

USCT Civil War Digest DECEMBER 2018 3

Source: History of the American Negro in the Great World War,W. Allison Sweeney, 1919

Courtesy: The Matthews Collection

Source: The Negro Pictorial Review, M.V. Lynk, 1919Courtesy: The Matthews Collection

Source: The Negro and the Next War, Ross D. Brown, 1935Courtesy: The Matthews Collection

The historical importance of the booklet is evidenced by it being catalogued, according to WorldCat, at Emory University, Northwestern University, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Pennsylvania State University.

CONNECTING WWI SOLDIERS WITH FAMILY AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES The one hundredth anniversary of World War I commenced in 2016 and concludes in 2019, when soldiers returned home to families and communities. Now is an appropriate time to reunite soldiers, sailors, nurses and others through family research. There is more than one starting point. It is relatively easy to locate a roster of soldiers from a local community, which is often available online. Similarly, state governmental entities are increasingly placing rosters of service men from their respective states online. There is also the starting point of using family research as a guide in locating military ancestors, particularly by paying close attention to item numbers 30 and 31 in the 1930 Federal Census. Other census reports can also be useful.

The starting point for this challenge is reacting to the story on page one of this issue.

The Roll of Valor: WWI Officers and Men of the 369th Regiment - 24 of the soldiers listed in the brochure were isolated for further research by utilizing an online service specializing in military personnel records:

Fold3.com – The WWI New York Army Cards were located for 24 of the targeted soldiers. Each card included the soldier’s name, residence, enlistment site, birth location, age at enlistment, regiment, rank, and other important information regarding military service.

Fold 3.com – U.S. Army WWI Transport Service Passenger Lists included the name of the departing regiment, point of departure, date, name of ship, name of soldier, rank, name of person to notify in case of emergency, relationship of the person, and address.

Separate lists exist for outgoing departure and incoming arrivals. Departures were primarily during 1917 and arrivals in 1919.

For example, the search for Joseph H. Carmen resulted in the retrieval of his WWI New York Army Card, as well as his entry on the departure list for the ship Pocahontas that sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey on December 12, 1917. Joseph’s contact person was his wife, Mrs. Margaret Carmen, who resided in Sea Cliff, New York. An intriguing aspect of the departure list was the inclusion of numerous soldiers of Co. G, 15th New York Infantry. They were from an assortment of different locales in and out of New York State. One such addition was Private Alfred Andrews. His contact person was a friend, Mrs. J.N. Austin of King William Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Fold3.com – United States WWI Draft Registration Card provided name, address, date of birth, place of birth, occupation, place of employment and marital status. For example, William D. Bartow’s WWI New York Army Card only revealed his birth place of Chester, New York. His draft registration, however, not only placed his birth in Chester on November 6, 1894, but also revealed that his residence at the time of enlistment was in Newark, New Jersey.

FamilySearch.com – provided several census records for William D. Bartow. Most significant was the 1900 New York Census that placed William D as a 5-year-old, born in 1894, the son of George W (b. 1855) and his New Jersey born mother, Hanna A (b. 1861).

The above examples can serve as useful clues in gathering further information for the soldiers listed below.

Family and Local Community Profiles for Select SoldiersWilliam D. Bartow: Colored, born in Chester, NY.

Martin Briggs, Colored, born in Saratoga, NY; enlisted Saratoga Spring, NY June 11,1917 at age 19; Residence: Saratoga, NY; Co. C, engagement at Champagne, slightly wounded September 28/18; promoted Pvt. 1st Class December 11/17; discharged February 24/19.

William Butler, Colored, born in White Plains, NY; enlisted in New York, NY September 27, 1916 at age 25; Co. I, engagement in trenches since April 12/18, in German Offensive July 15/18, in attack on Repont Champagne September 25/18, slightly wounded September 28/18.

Joseph H. Carmen, Colored, born in New York, NY; enlisted at Glen Cove, NY July 10, 1917 at age 21; Co. G; promoted to Corporal. November 1/17; discharged February 24/19.

William H. Cox, Colored, born in Newberne, NC; enlisted New York, NY July 6, 1916 at age 28; Residence: 579 Baltic Street, Brooklyn, NY; Co. B, promoted to Sgt. May 7, 1918; discharged February 22.19.

Martin Dunbar, Colored, born in New Milford, CT; enlisted in Brooklyn, NY September 8, 1917 at age 20; Residence: 57 Fleet Place, Brooklyn, NY; Co. Sup; discharged March 4/19.

Richard W. Fowler, Colored, born in Glen Cove, NY; enlisted in Brooklyn, NY May 10,1917 at age 28; Residence: Glen Cove, NY; Co. G, promoted to Sgt.; discharged February 24/19.

Stillman Hanna, Colored, born in Ackerman, MS; enlisted Camp Whitman, NY July 31, 1917 at age 23; Residence: 144 W 53 St, NYC, NY; Co. E, Pvt., wounded to undetermined degree July 16/18; discharged March 5/19.

Frank Harden, White, born in Louisville, KY; enlisted New York, NY June 5, 1917 at age 23; Residence: 15 John Street, Goshen, NY; Co. K, engagement German Raid June 12/18, German Offensive July 14 to July 20/18, severely wounded July 17/18; promoted to Corp. November 26/18; discharged as Pvt. on Feb. 24/19.

Ralph Hawkins, Colored, born in Elizabeth, NJ; enlisted in New York, NY March 27, 1917 at age 19; Residence: 134 W 134 St., NYC, NY; Co. C,, promoted to Corporal November 15/18, received Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star; discharged February 24/19.

Honoring Soldiers Continued from page 3

4 DECEMBER 2018 USCT Civil War Digest

Source: French Croix de Guerre

Clarence Johnson, Colored, born in Milton, NC; enlisted New York, NY October 31, 1917 at age 19; Residence: 153 Broadway, West Brighton, NY; Co. F to Co. E, Pvt. 1c1 October 27/18; discharge February 24/19.

George Jones, White, born in Morehead City, NC; enlisted in Brooklyn, NY July 5, 1916 at age 31; Residence: Brooklyn, NY; Co. F, promoted to Sgt. August 1/17; severely injured September 28/18; received Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star; discharged SCD August 23/19.

Smithfield Jones, Colored, born in South Creek, NC; enlisted in New York, NY June 5, 1917 at age 23; Residence: 245 West 61st, NYC, NY; Co. L, engagements at Champagne and Repont, died in action September 26/18; notified mother, Mrs. Eliza Jones, South Creek, NC.

Lester Marshall, Colored, born in New York, NY; enlisted in New York, NY June 22, 1917 at age 27; Residence: 6 Carmine St., NY; Co. A, Pvt., degree of wound undetermined September 29/18, received Croix de Guerre with Gitt Star; discharged February 24/19.

Charles Leon Pawpaw, Colored, born in New York, NY; enlisted in New York, NY June 2, 1917 at age 24; Co. E, promoted to Sgt. December 3/18; discharged March 5/19.

Harvey Perry, Colored, born in Raleigh, NC; enlisted in Brooklyn, NY April 4, 1917 at age 21; Residence: Staten Island, NY; Co. F, promoted to Pvt. September 23/18; discharged February 24/19.

Jeremiah Reed, Colored, born in New York, NY; enlisted in Glen Cove, NY on June 5, 1917 at age 30; Residence: Glen Cove, NY; Co. G, promoted to Sgt. on December26/19; discharged May 31/19.

Charles Claude Risk, Colored, born in St. Georges, British West Indies; enlisted in Brooklyn, NY August 24, 1917 at age 26; Residence: 63 W 131 St, NYC, NY; Co. I, promoted to Sup-Sgt. on April 18/18; received Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star; discharged February 22/19.

Percy Russell, Colored, born in Antiqua, British West Indies; enlisted in NYC, NY June 29, 1917 at age 21; Residence: 535 Pelham Manor Rd, New Rochelle, NY; Co. M, promoted to Sgt. April 19/18, severely wounded September 29/18; discharged September 5/19.

Daniel W. Storms, Colored, born in Stamford, CT; enlisted in NYC, NY May 8, 1917 at age 33; Residence: NYC, NY; Co. A?, promoted to Sgt. December 4/18; discharged February 24/19.

Lloyd Thompson, Colored, born in New York, NY; enlisted in New York, NY March 23, 1917 at age 19; Residence: 113 W 134th Street, NYC, NY; Co. C to December 23/18, then Co. I; promoted to Sgt. on July 10/17, engagements at Champagne-Marne and Meuse-Argonne; discharged February 22/19.

Leon Washington, Colored, born Jersey City, NJ; enlisted in NYC on August 26, 1918 at age 21; Residence: 140 Pelham Rd, New Rochelle, NY; Co. K, promoted to Sgt. September 20/17; discharged February 22/19.

Jay White, Colored, born in Bay Shore, NY; enlisted at Camp Upton, NY on September 6. 1917 at age 24; Residence: Harrison Ave., Bay Shore; Co. G, severely injured about September 27/18; received Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star; discharged as Pvt. on February 24/19.

Reaves Willis, Colored, born in North Adams, MA; enlisted in NYC on November 11, 1917 at age 28; Residence: 996 Brooke Ave., NYC; Co. I, promoted to Sgt. August 5/18; discharged February 22/19

USCTI Mini-Conference Celebrates 25 Years of Research AccomplishmentsOn October 26 and 27, 2018, Hartwick College welcomed 30 participants for the annual United States Colored Troops Institute for Local History and Family Research (USCTI) Student Mini-Conference. The event honored the twenty years of the USCTI and the 25-year journey of the Pluralism Associates League for Students (PALS) in which Hartwick College students assisted with documenting the Underground Railroad of the Upper Susquehanna River, ending in Oneonta and Cooperstown New York.

Under the direction of Harry Bradshaw Matthews, Associate Dean and Director of the Office of Intercultural Affairs at Hartwick, the research led to efforts with local historians that resulted in the United States Colored Troops Symposium of Delaware and Otsego Counties, New York, 1997-98. In support of the symposium, Matthews authored the book, Honoring New York’s Forgotten Soldiers: African Americans of the Civil War, which was funded by matching grants from the City of Oneonta and the Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts. Two hundred free copies were distributed mainly to libraries in New York. Local events were held throughout the 1997-98 academic year, including the History and Genealogy Conference that was co-hosted on the campuses of Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta. Participants came from nine states and Canada.

The symposium was so unique that New York State Governor George E. Pataki issued a proclamation, with the endorsement of State Senator James L. Seward, that recognized the effort as the first time in the history of the Empire State that African American soldiers of the Civil War were memorialized by their individual names and deeds. In October, 1998, a convening group

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

USCT Civil War Digest DECEMBER 2018 5

Posted July 5, 2016“George Jones Received the Croix de Guerre and the Bronze Star.” How Did I Get Here? My Amazing Genealogy Journey.com

finalized the establishment of the United States Colored Troops Institute for Local History and Family Research honoring the 200,000 black soldiers and their 7,000 white officers who comprised the ranks of the USCT. Matthews was elected Founding President.

During 2007, student researchers were formally organized as members of the Harriet Tubman Mentoring Project (HTMP) at Hartwick College – the student chapter of the USCTI. An annual journey to Tubman’s home and gravesite has been a priority since 2007. Today, students commit themselves to family research in honor of Tubman by placing their respective families within the historical context

of the Freedom Journey. To date, USCTI students have co-authored four booklets titled, Stories Our Mothers Told Us: A Search for Roots. The series has been placed in WorldCat by several leading libraries and historical societies.

The USCTI’s focus on local history and family research continues to blossom after the United States Park Service designated the USCTI in 2011 as a research facility of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, an honor that identifies the USCTI at Hartwick College as a star on the National Underground Railroad interactive map. The USCTI is also recognized for identifying individual USCT soldiers from the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, as well as Native Americans and East Indians who served in the regiments. The USCTI has advanced to the level of promoting tributes to African American soldiers from the Revolutionary War through the Korean Conflict.

The 2018 conference began Friday evening with a dinner for this year’s 30 invited participants, at which USCTI members, its Alumni Advisory Council, Harriet Tubman Mentors and invited guest speakers from the Oneonta region were introduced. Saturday’s morning session commenced with Matthews’ introduction to “The Transnational Journey: Oneonta & Otsego County’s Place in the Freedom Journey.”

Shanria Jolly, a second-year student from Eleuthera, The Bahamas and the current president of PALS, presented the “History and Future of the Harriet Tubman Mentoring Project.” Other highlights were presentations of family and historical research conducted by invited participants. Five recipients of this year’s American Society of Freedmen Descendants (ASFD) Gold Medal were introduced.

The cornerstone of the mini-conference was again presentations of research by USCTI and HTMP members who have documented evidence of a military ancestor who was enlisted during any of the conflicts between the Civil War and Korean War. Further, these

ancestors were confirmed as connection to the African-American Freedom Journey of the 1870s and 1880s.

Special inclusions for honor this year was research done by four speakers. Roland Barksdale-Hall, the founder of the Pittsburgh Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, who delivered a presentation titled, “The Life of Wilson Stephenson, the Confederate Body Servant during the Civil War.”

Cynthia Lavender of Harrisburg, PA, shared “The Life and Times of the Earl D. Lavender Family from Winchester City, Frederick, MD to Lancaster and Harrisburg, PA.” Highlighted were Lavender’s ancestors who served during WWI and WWII, including the Women’s Army Corp.

E. Howard Ashford, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Africana and Latino Studies at SUNY Oneonta presented “From Domestic to Doctorate: Education in the Evans Family.”

Stephanie Pointer Brunetta, USCTI webmaster, shared her findings, “A Stop Along the Way; Three USCT at Fairview Cemetery, Little Falls, NY.”

Honoring Soldiers Continued from page 5

6 DECEMBER 2018 USCT Civil War Digest

Senior Sharee Brooks presented her research, “Exploring Roots in Jamaica.” And, first-year student Neiva Fortes introduced “My family’s Journey from Cape Verde to America.”

Barksdale-Hall, Lavender, Brunetta, along with Edythe Ann Quinn, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of History at Hartwick College, were honored as recipients of the American Society of Freedmen Descendants Gold Medals. Barksdale-Hill and Lavender were honored for outstanding research; Quinn was elevated to the rank of Senior Fellow of the USCTI; and Brunetta was honored for two decades of service to the USCTI as its webmaster. Also, originally slated to be honored with the ASFD Gold medal for outstanding research was Hartwick College senior, Tiara S. Cooper, whose presentation has been rescheduled to February, 2019.

For the first time, an afternoon session, facilitated by Darlene Colon, vice-president of the USCTI from Lancaster, PA, focused on reflection and research updates by presenters in previous years. This included the identification of new sources for documenting research about local histories and families.

Matthews shared his findings regarding errors in the British posted genealogy of HRH Meghan Markle. (See USCT Civil War Digest Vol. 20, No. 1, June 2018. This study can also be aquired by Googling Megan Markle USCT.) Mathews also shared the importance of work contracts by freedmen and freedwomen following the Civil War. There was also a session devoted to new student researchers currently mentored by presenters.

The public was invited to interact with the mini-conference participants at the Yager Museum of Art and Culture at 3 p.m. on Saturday for viewing the exhibit “Black Lives at Hartwick Then and Now.”

Matthews served as tour guide for the exhibit, providing an historical reference to the connection between the roles of the Hartwick Seminary and Academy, Hartwick College, and the Freedom Journey.

“It is surprising how far the USCTI has come over two decades, but I am nervously excited about its future,” said Matthews.

USCT Civil War Digest DECEMBER 2018 7

USCTIOffice of Intercultural AffairsHartwick CollegeOneonta, New York 13820www.hartwick.edu

ALABAMA – James C. Johnson

CALIFORNIA – Barbara Leone, Tammy Ball Williams

CONNECTICUT - Andrew S. Bowman

FLORIDA - John O. Lindell

GEORGIA - Audrey Quick Battiste, Linda Dorage, Gloria Matthews

ILLINOIS – Angela Brizant Layne, Northwestern University Library

INDIANA - Allen County Public Library, Andrew Bowman

KENTUCKY – John Taylor, Jr.

MARYLAND – Yvonne Captain, Charles Hawley, Sylvia Cooke Martin, Ruth V. Mitchell, Houston

D. Wedlock

NEW JERSEY – Keisha M. Clarke

NEW YORK –Abyssinian Baptist Church, AKWAABA: The Heritage Associates, Inc., Sylvia Barker, Fern E. Beavers, George Betts, Regina Betts, Stanton F. Biddle, Stephanie Brunetta, Georgia M. Burnette, Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, Desiree de Freitas, Jacqueline R. Dorage; Sean Doyley, III, Leigh C. Eckmair, Lorna R. Elmore, Edward Fisher, Katherine Hawkins, David J. Hodges – CUNY Hunter

College, Darrell Howard, Sonya Williams Howard, Randolph Johnson; Linda M. Jones,

Nancy Leftenant-Colón, Harry Bradshaw Matthews, Justin Medina, MLK Library/Syracuse

University, NYPL - Schomburg Center, NYSHA Research Library, New York State Library/Mary

Redmond, Linda K. Patterson, Cyndee Pattison, Edythe Ann Quinn, Madeline O. Scott, Lambert C.

Shell – Roosevelt Public Library, Jesse E. Stevens,

NEW YORK (continued) SUNY-Oneonta, Hon. Lucindo Suarez, Roxanne J. Suarez, Spann Watson, Judith Wellman, Norma Williams, Shamar Yee

MICHIGAN – Donald S. Vest

NORTH CAROLINA - Melissa Swaby

PENNSYLVANIA – Gettysburg Black History Museum, Inc., Roland Barksdale-Hall, Charles L. Blockson – Temple University, G. Craig Caba, Leon Clarke, Darlene Colón, Ruth Hodge, Cynthia Lavender, Windy Mitchell, Gail Muhammad; Mary Ann Riley, Kelly Summerford

SOUTH CAROLINA – John R. Gourdin

TENNESSEE – Roverta Reliford Russaw

VIRGINIA – Thomas Balch Library, Jerome Bridges, Linda Carter, Maria Carter, Chauncey Herring, Kimberly Jenkins-Snodgrass, Carol Mitchell, Linda S. Murr, Gen. Colin L. Powell [2000], Prince Wm. Public Library, Rev. R. Benard Reaves, Loritta R. Watson

WEST VIRGINIA – Bob O’Connor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rev. William E. Calbert, Patsy M. Fletcher, Military Road School Preservation Trust

WISCONSIN – Brigitte Fielder, Wisconsin Historical Society

THE BAHAMAS – D. Gail Saunders

STUDENT ASSISTANTS – 2018-19 Kiara Biroo –Harriet Tubman Mentor, Voices Magazine Student Editor Neiva Fortes – Harriet Tubman Mentor, Intercultural Affairs Assistant Shanria Jolly – USCTI Intern/Harriet Tubman Mentor, PALS President Amber Lawson – Harriet Tubman Mentor, BSA President

To become a member of the United States Colored Troops Institute for Local History and Family Research at Hartwick College, please contact Harry Bradshaw Matthews, 410 Dewar Union, Hartwick College, Oneonta, New York 13820.

USCT Institute & ASFD Membership 2018-19 ~ Join Us.