America: the land of the free and the home of the brave. And while it’s easy to enjoy the prosperous nation we inhabit today, we must always remember that the cost of these freedoms were anything but free. Since the dawn of our nation, valiant men and women have put their lives on the line in order to preserve our rights and liberties. Each Memorial Day, the nation comes together to honor America’s fallen soldiers and service members. A somber recollection for a noble cause, the holiday offers an opportunity to express our gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
As a community with deep historic routes, Trenton is the home of multiple significant memorial sites spanning the Revolutionary War and beyond. One such location is the Locust Hill Cemetery, which is the final resting place of at least 10 African American Civil War veterans. Locust Hill African Cemetery was given the distinction as the earliest African American burial site in the City of Trenton. The Locust Hill African Cemetery is of profound historical significance to the Capital City community, and recent preservation efforts have assured that this resource will be available for generation of Trentonians to come. If you’d like to learn more about the Locust Hill African Cemetery and honor those brave men buried here, you are invited to this year’s Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony.
The City of Trenton, the Kiwanis Club of Trenton, and the 6th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops Reenactors have come together to present this year’s Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony, which will honor the lives of the Civil War Veterans of Locust Hill Cemetery. The ceremony will begin at 11am at the Locust Hill African Cemetery, located at 73 Hart Avenue, Trenton NJ 08618. Throughout the day’s events, guests will have the opportunity to learn more about the Locust Hill African Cemetery and the lives of the men buried there, as well as an opportunity to engage with recent preservation efforts. A heartfelt way to commemorate Memorial Day in the core of our community, the Remembrance Ceremony is certain to be a stirring afternoon for all.
To learn more about other upcoming community and cultural events in the City of Trenton, please check out Trenton’s Department of Recreation, Natural Resources, and Culture, linked here: Dept. of Rec. – Trenton. Likewise, for more information on the Locust Hill African Cemetery, please visit their website, linked here: Locust Hill African Cemetery. If you have any questions leading up to the event, please call (609) 208-9991 for further assistance. Memorial Day is almost here, and on that day and every day, may the lives of those lost in the fight for freedom remaining in our hearts and memories.
