Friends of Shiloh AME Church and Cemetery (FoS) held a poignant ceremony last weekend, recreating a 160-year-old tradition to honor 14 Civil War United States Colored Troops (USCT) interred at the historic Westtown cemetery.
The event, modeled after the first Decoration Day on May 1, 1865, drew inspiration from the solemn tribute organized by freed Black Americans in Charleston, SC, to honor Union soldiers. Held at the Old Chester County Courthouse, the May 17 commemoration highlighted the contributions of Black soldiers in the fight for freedom during the Civil War.