John L. Ford, Sr. African American Heritage Celebration
Spotlight On: Thinking of You
January 25, 2023Spotlight On: The Female Soldier: Elaine H. Berkowitz, DMD
February 21, 2023The John L. Ford, Sr. African American Heritage Celebration
February 23, 2023 – 7PM
Free Virtual Event
Free Virtual Event – Join us on Facebook or YouTube
Unforgotten Heroes: The Black Experience in World War I
Panel Discussion:
Moderator: Sonya D. Ford, Program Manager, Carnegie Mellon University, Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship
Panelist: Jaquay Edward Carter, Award Winning Historian & USMC Veteran
Panelist: Michael Kraus, Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum Curator
Featuring: Soldiers & Sailors 6th Regiment USCT Drum Corps Performance Video
More than 380,000 African Americans served in the US Army during World War I. Even in the face of a segregated society and military, Black men were willing to serve their country. This program will examine the significant contributions made by Black soldiers and will also highlight the role that Pittsburgh played in the Great War. Join us to learn about the “Unforgotten Heroes” of World War I.
Moderator: Sonya D. Ford, Program Manager, Carnegie Mellon University, Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship
Panelist: JaQuay Edward Carter
JaQuay Edward Carter, award-winning historian and USMC Veteran, is a Pittsburgh native who has been researching the region’s history for over a decade, with a primary focus on the Black Experience. Mr. Carter is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where he majored in History Education. In January of 2018, JaQuay founded the Greater Hazelwood Historical Society of Pittsburgh, which is now internationally recognized. Currently, Mr. Carter is an Interpretive Specialist, archivist, writer and Community Outreach Coordinator at the Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation.
Panelist: Michael Kraus
A well-known Civil War historian, Kraus currently works as Curator/Historian for Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum. His accomplishments include several historical consultant credits for major films, writing and narrating the documentary series Civil War Minutes and Civil War Life as well as authoring articles and books regarding the conflict. Michael also is an accomplished sculptor with an impressive resume of historically themed works in bronze.
The John L. Ford, Sr., African American Heritage Celebration is a FREE annual event focusing on the sacrifices & contributions of African Americans during the American conflicts. Developed in 2011 by Mr. Ford, the event has become a valued aspect of the museum’s community outreach. In 2020, the African American Heritage Celebration was renamed in honor of the late John L. Ford, Sr., who served as Soldiers & Sailors Historian from 2007 through 2017.