Charles Sumner Post #25 Grand Army of the Republic is hosting “Let the Monster Perish” to celebrate 150 years since Abraham Lincoln invited Henry Highland Garnet to speak before Congress. The celebration will include excerpts of the speech, traditional music and a birthday cake for Lincoln.
The event will be held Thursday, February 12, 2015 (time TBD), Charles Sumner Post #25 Grand Army. It is co-sponsored with the Kent County Historical Society
On Saturday, February 21, 2015 5:00 to 6:00 pm, Charles Summer Post #25 will host an event in memory of Malcom X. It was fifty years ago to the day of the event that Malcom X was assassinated. Robert Earl Price will share memories and poetry, film and music.
On Tuesday, February 10 at Bethel A.M.E. Church (237 College Avenue, Chestertown), John Wilson will be given the KENNY award. The award is a collaboration with Kent County Arts Council, the Hedgelawn Foundation and Washington College. At 5:00 there will be a master-class by vocalists from the American Spiritual Ensemble. At 6:00 a supper in the Fellowship Hall. And at 7:00 a performance and presentation of the KENNY to Mr. Wilson. Contact Leslie Raimond at the Kent County Arts Council if you would like to participate in the workshop and join for the supper. The presentation does not require a reservation.
Marge Fallaw says
It should be noted that Garnet was not exactly invited to speak “before Congress.” Then the pastor of the Fifteenth St. Presbyterian Church in DC, he gave the sermon in the hall (or chamber) of the House of Representatives as part of the religious service held there on Sunday, Feb. 12, 1865 (largely to celebrate the recent passage of the 13th Amendment [to abolish slavery] by the House, but not yet the Senate) that also included scripture readings and hymn-singing. He did not speak to the House in session, though some members were no doubt present in the full-house, integrated audience. Allowing religious groups to hold special services in the hall on Sundays was an established practice, though until then they had been only white groups, with white speakers only. This occasion was therefore a milestone event, though it should not be mischaracterized. It was the first time that an African American had been invited to be the speaker for any occasion in the US Capitol (and probably/possibly also the first time there was an integrated audience).
If anyone wants to read the publication of Garnet’s address (and a biography of Garnet by a longtime friend), it can be found online here. (Interestingly, the printed copy that was digitized has a connection to Sen. Charles Sumner.) Sorry, but I don’t know how to make the link clickable.
https://archive.org/stream/amemorialdiscou00smitgoog#page/n6/mode/2up
Marge Fallaw says
I just realized I made an error in the above posting. The Senate approved the 13th Amendment in April 1864, not after the House did. After passage by both houses, the amendment was sent to the states for ratification. (Ratification was achieved in December 1865.)