New Bern Historical Society’s February 16th Lunch & Learn program brings a collection of fascinating stories, recently re-discovered. Through the years, New Bern’s Black residents have answered America’s call to arms and served honorably in every conflict. Many of those veterans are buried in historic Greenwood Cemetery. What began as a project by the American Legion Post 539 to clean the graves of the cemetery’s Black veterans expanded with research by the Historical Society into the men’s lives and service. As each veteran’s headstone was identified, and with every layer of age and grime painstakingly removed, their unknown or forgotten stories were clarified. We can now publicly honor these men who fought and died in every major conflict from the Civil War to Desert Storm.
This special program I, Too, Served America, The Stories of Greenwood Cemetery’s Veterans will be presented February 16 at 11:30am at Carolina Colours Pavilion. Speakers Mark Sandvigen, Carol Becton, and Claudia Houston will describe this inspiring community project and share remarkable stories about some of these men, their service, and the times in which they lived.
Cost for this program is $22 for Historical Society members, $26 for nonmembers, which includes meal, tax, and gratuity. Entree choices are are Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast with garlic cream sauce ~ or ~ Baked Salmon with champagne dill sauce; both served with rice pilaf ~ or ~ Veggie Risotto (vegetarian option). All entrees served sauteed green beans, rolls, chocolate tuxedo cake, iced tea and coffee. Cash bar available.
Prepaid reservations can be made at NewBernHistorical.org/tickets or by calling the Historical Society at 252-638-8558. Paper tickets are not issued for this program. Simply check in at Carolina Colours Pavilion with your confirmation.