Frederick Douglass Parade Canceled After 54th Massachusetts Pulls Out
The Trump administration’s ongoing crusade to roll back DEI initiatives was never out of a concern for fairness or challenging what it sees as unjust discrimination. In regards to history and history education it is nothing less than an attack on anything that challenges a consensus narrative centered on white Americans.
Over the past few weeks, executive orders and other directives have sowed confusion as educators worry whether teaching the history of African Americans and addressing the tough questions surrounding the long history of racism will result in their firing. Institutions that rely on federal funds have been forced to cancel programs and other projects that appear to violate these confusing new directives.
The cancelation of a parade, scheduled to take place in Maryland this week, to honor its famous native son Frederick Douglass, brings home in sharp relief the absurdity and cruely of all of this.
National Guard units from Maryland and elsewhere have routinely taken part in this parade. That has come to an end by order of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
“Since this event is organized as part of a Black History Month celebration, the Maryland National Guard cannot support,” Maryland National Guard Lt. Col. Meaghan Lazak wrote in a letter addressing the event. “In accordance with the new guidance, the Maryland National Guard must decline events which celebrate individuals based all or in part on immutable characteristics.” In addition to the band being unable to play, the Maryland National Guard would also not provide a flyover, troop presence, or military vehicles.
The Maryland State Guard was not the only unit forced to cancel. The Massachusetts State Guard was also forced to cancel its planned appearance. The MSG is represented by a unit honoring the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first Black regiment raised in the North in early 1863.
Members of this unit are very active in the community. You can find them in schools doing living history presentations and in the summer they often have a presence at the famous monument on Boston’s Beacon Hill, where they interact with the public.
The 54th Massachusetts was scheduled to lead the parade this year.
Let’s think about this for a minute.
Frederick Douglass helped to raise the 54th from his home in Rochester, New York. He spoke out against other Black activists who resisted Massachusetts governor John Andrew’s call for volunteers owing to a failure to commission Black officers and unequal pay.
Two of Douglass’s own children joined the regiment.
Charles Remond Douglass volunteered, but was unable to deploy with the troops owing to illness and remained behind following the regiment’s departure in May 1863. He eventually joined the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry, where he rose to the rank of first sergeant. Douglass was discharged in 1864 due to poor health, at the request of his father.
Lewis Henry Douglass signed up at the same time as his brother and eventually attained the rank of Sergeant Major, the highest rank a black man could reach at the time. Douglass deployed with the rest of the 54th Massachusetts to South Carolina and took part in the skirmish on James Island on July 16 and the failed assault on Battery Wagner two days later. The assault cost the regiment 40% in killed, wounded and missing as well as its young colonel, Robert Gould Shaw, who was killed while leading the assault.
Douglass suffered a severe wound to the groin in the battle that left him unable to bear children.
Shortly before the assault, Lewis Douglass wrote to his future wife, Helen Amelia Loguen. “My Dear girl I hope again to see you. I must bid you farewell should I be killed. Remember if I die I die in a good cause. I wish we had a hundred thousand colored troops we would put an end to this war.”
It is impossible to understand the history of the United States in the nineteenth century without coming to terms with the incredible life of Frederick Douglass. He is the very best that this nation has produced.
The cancelation of this parade in his honor both disrespects Douglass and also dishonors the men who rushed to serve this nation in its hour of need and all of the Black men and women who have served in our armed forces ever since.
We should not resist calling this for what it is—a deep animus toward anything that detracts from a white-centered view of American history.
Yes, racism.
Based on “immutable characteristics”? Since when are courage, intelligence, civic engagement, and compassion “immutable characteristics”? Perhaps since the Rs themselves don’t possess these qualities. Shame on them.
Since we cannot honor people based in part or entirely on immutable characteristics, when are we going to stop honoring white men?