The head of an American Legion post in Ohio stepped down Friday amid criticism following the decision of Memorial Day ceremony organizers to turn off a retired U.S. Army officer’s microphone while he was speaking about how freed Black slaves honored fallen soldiers just after the Civil War. American Legion
Army Veteran s Audio Cut When Describing Black People s Role in Memorial Day
In this frame grab from video provided by Hudson Community Television, retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter taps the microphone after organizers turned off the audio during his speech at a Memorial Day ceremony, May 31, 2021, in Hudson, Ohio (Hudson Community Television via AP)
4 Jun 2021 Associated Press
HUDSON, Ohio Organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony turned off a speaker’s microphone when the former U.S. Army officer began talking about how freed Black slaves had honored fallen soldiers soon after the Civil War.
Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter said he included the story in his speech because he wanted to share the history of how Memorial Day originated.
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American Legion leaders in Ohio also suspended the post’s charter and took steps to close it, amid intense backlash over the decision to censor retired Army Lt Col Barnard Kemter.
Kemter said he included the story in his speech on Monday because he wanted to share the history of how Memorial Day originated.
But organizers of the ceremony in Hudson, Ohio, said that section of the speech was not relevant to the theme of honoring veterans.
Cindy Suchan, chair of the Memorial Day parade committee and president of the Hudson American Legion Auxiliary, said either she or Jim Garrison, adjutant of American Legion Post 464, turned down the audio, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.