FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2006
Krista Robertson
krobertson@trio-solutions.com
(843) 216-0442 or
(843) 224-8089

Monument Dedication for Forgotten Civil War Hero

Charleston, SC --- A memorial and monument dedication will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at 9 a.m. at the Humane and Friendly Society Cemetery in Charleston to honor a forgotten African-American Civil War veteran, Lt. Stephen A. Swails. The Lt. Stephen Swails Memorial & Dedication Ceremony is part of a weekend celebration to officially kick-off the formation of the African American Historical Alliance.

Lt. Stephen A. Swails, one of the first African Americans to be commissioned as an officer in the army, is currently buried in an unmarked gravesite at the Humane and Friendly Society Cemetery. Swails served with the Massachusetts 54th Regiment that fought on Morris Island, remained in South Carolina following the Civil War and became a three-term South Carolina Senator, a trustee of the University of South Carolina and Mayor of Kingstree, South Carolina.

The ceremony is being sponsored by Magnolia Development, a nationally recognized firm specializing in brownfield redevelopment. Speakers will include U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, General Abraham Turner, Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Senator Glenn McConnell and Senator Robert Ford. In addition, descendants of Swails will be present.

The African American Historical Alliance is a nonprofit organization formally established earlier this year to increase awareness about the role of African Americans in the Civil War and the Reconstruction period that followed the war through preservation, commemoration and education.For additional information about the Alliance and upcoming events, visit the Alliance’s Web site at www.aahasc.org or call (843) 953-7609.

For additional information about the Alliance, membership and sponsorship opportunities call (843) 953-7609.