Brighton Connections publishes excerpts from “Veterans Day in Brighton, 2021, and the Buffalo Soldiers”

[ Brighton Connections 12/21,See Veterans Day in Brighton, 2021, and the Buffalo Soldiers]

In the November edition of Brighton Connections, Content Manager Allison Bondi kindly showcased Talker in Talker featured in Brighton Connections.

This month Allison included an excerpt Veterans Day in Brighton, 2021, and the Buffalo Soldiers. Allison did not have space for the entire article (BELOW).

Veterans Day in Brighton, 2021, and the Buffalo Soldiers

 

Two days ago in Remembering Armistice Day, 11/11/1918, at the Brighton Memorial Library and Buckland Park, we told the story of the Veterans Day exhibit at the Brighton Memorial Library created by Adult Services Director Matthew Bashore that includes two newspapers from November 11th, 1918 I gladly donated to the BML collection.

Today at Buckland Park, ceremonies commemorated the 103rd Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day. The 1921 Day was notable on several levels. First, as seen in the Democrat and Chronicle article, one hundred years ago, the first Unknown Soldier was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

As described in the Arlington Nation Cemetery website:

On November 11, 1921, the Unknown was placed on a horse-drawn caisson and carried in a procession through Washington, D.C. and across the Potomac River. A state funeral ceremony was held at Arlington National Cemetery’s new Memorial Amphitheater, and the Unknown was interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

President Warren Harding places a wreath of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Wikipedia) See October 21st, 1920 in Rochester and Governor Harding’s return to normalcy. And the school named after him.

Nationwide, Americans observed two minutes of silence at the beginning of the ceremony. President Warren G. Harding officiated at the ceremony and placed the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, on the casket. Numerous foreign dignitaries presented their nations’ highest awards, as well.

The 1921 Day was also significant because on November 11th, 1921, the U.S.-German Peace Treaty became effective, officially ending hostilities between the United States and Germany. Since the U.S. Senate did not ratify the Versailles Treaty and the U.S. did not join the League of Nations, a separate peace had to be negotiated.

Woodrow Wilson defended America’s entrance into World War I, declaring: “I promise you that this will be the final war​—the war to end all wars.”​ As evidenced in the Democrat and Chronicle clipping on an arms limitation conference in Washington, D.C., 1921 marked a short period when Europe and America tentatively thought that perhaps Wilson’s prediction could be made true.

Of course, the U.S.- German Peace Treaty only lasted twenty years, when the U.S. and Germany declared a second war, one far worse than first. Unfortunately, we don’t celebrate every November 11th as marking The Final War. Had Wilson been right, we would no longer need Veterans Days or Tombs of Unknown Soldiers.

This is our fifth article on the Ceremonies, see ALL VETERANS DAY ARTICLES BELOW.

As seen in Memorial Day at Buckland and Highland Parks, last May the Buffalo Soldiers of VFW Post 9251 Pennington-Moye stole the show when they served as Color Guards.

The Buffalo Soldiers were back today.

While all veterans were honored, Brighton Town Supervisor William Moehle presented a Proclamation highlighting the educational work done by the Buffalo Soldiers of VFW Post 9251 Pennington-Moye. See Brighton Town Supervisor William Moehle’s remarks

Many friends of the magazine were there.

(left) Monroe County Executive Adam Bello with David Kramer [Photo: Margaret Doran, Executive Assistant to the Director of Communications and Special Events at Monroe County] See Why I voted for Adam Bello and a trip down Talker political memory lane, 2015 – 2021

SEE

Talker featured in Brighton Connections