LEONARDTOWN, MD – Head to the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) Interpretive Center in Lexington Park on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, from 10 am to 6 pm, where the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC) and other non-partisan organizations will be on hand to help members of the public register to vote.
While registering, be sure to step inside the center to see the traveling exhibit “Seventeen Men: Portraits of African American Civil War Soldiers” by professional artist and illustrator Shayne Davidson. More info about the exhibit can be found at www.ucaconline.org.
Also on display in the USCT Interpretive Center are portraits and biographies of two St. Mary’s County soldiers who served in the USCT in the 38th Infantry Regiment. These two men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their valor and bravery at the Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia, in 1864.
None of the men depicted in these exhibits were allowed to vote in the election of 1860 when Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States. They only gained their right when the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect in 1870. Don’t waste your right – get out and get registered.
National Voter Registration Day is dedicated to celebrating democracy by registering as many American voters as possible through collective efforts from volunteers, businesses, and non-profit groups like the Unified Citizens for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC), which is the host group for this event.
The U.S. Colored Troops Interpretive Center is located at 21675 S. Coral Drive, Lexington Manor Passive Park, Lexington Park, MD 20653. For more information, visit ucaconline.org or Facebook.com/UCACSMC and click on “events”.