Black Veterans Memorial in new bedford

By Kyleah Bodden

New Bedford is the home to many tributes and memorials honoring Black people. From the Cape Verdean Veterans Memorial Hall to the 54th Regiment Plaza to the soon to be finished Abolition Row Park, there are different spaces that honor the legacy of our ancestors. I am grateful for organizations like the Cape Verdean Veterans Association and the New Bedford Historical Society for helping ensure that places like these exist. For Memorial Day Weekend, I decided to visit Buttonwood Park for a tribute to Black Americans from New Bedford who have served in different branches of the military.

The late Frank Grace, Sr., WWII veteran.

The memorial is simple yet powerful. The gray stone memorial is inscripted with a dedication and adorned with engraved military symbols. Its grounds are surrounded with fresh mulch and flowers as well as American flags. It’s especially important to acknowledge the Black Americans who served in wars because generally, they did not receive the same respect as their white counterparts and faced their own battles within America’s system of racism and white supremacy.

The late Frank Grace, Sr., WWII veteran.

My maternal great-grandfather, Frank Grace, Sr. served in World War II to defeat fascism in Europe. He was a part of the famed Red Ball Express. The Red Ball express was a trucking system that provided various supplies to Allied forces after the battle of Normandy in 1944. In order to safely transport cargo shipments trucks were adorned with red balls. This system was primarily managed and staffed by Black American soldiers and at its peak carried around 12,500 tons of supplies a day. The Red Ball Express played an integral role in defeating the Nazis. I’m appreciative of this familial connection to anti-fascism and for the places and spaces in our city that honor the courage and strength of Black people in New Bedford.