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Ceremony in Sheffield unveils headstone for Black Civil War soldier, celebrating his service

More than 100 people, including local school children holding American flags, gathered Wednesday at the Center Cemetery in Sheffield, Massachusetts, to celebrate the service of a Black Civil War soldier, William D. Jones.

Jones was one of dozens of Black men from Berkshire County who served in the 54th regiment. In 1863, he enlisted at age 45, leaving behind his wife, Mary and nine children. At about the same time, his two 19-year-old nephews, Henry Jones and Samuel S. Jones, joined the regiment.

At his graveside, his great-great-grandniece Jocelyn Jones Arnold said many members of her family have served in the military, including 14 men in the 54th regiment.

"I'm so honored to be able to share their stories and speak their names. I mean that's important. They sacrificed so much for this country they deserve, at least, to be known," she said.

Standing alongside Jones Arnold was Brigadier General Paul Minor from the Massachusetts National Guard. He told the crowd he stood on the shoulders of members of her family.

"I wonder if William Jones could have imagined a Black man standing here as a general officer. Probably, maybe he could have conceived such a thing —that that would happen eventually," he said.

Minor, Jones Arnold and her brother, Laurence Jones, unveiled a new headstone for William Jones.

The original stone was damaged last year when a car drove into the cemetery, by accident.

Members of the National Guard played taps and presented the family with an American flag.

As part of the ceremony, the Massachusetts 54th regiment reenactors fired muskets and participated in the presentation of colors—a ceremonial military tradition before the national anthem is played.

"It's just heart warming to know there's people who really care about our past and how we're going forward," said Sandra Alden, a Sheffield resident who attended the ceremony. "Hopefully, we'll be stronger people as we go forward."

The event was part of a larger project organized by the Sheffield Historical Society, celebrating black history in the town. Two years ago the society unveiled a statue of Elizabeth Freeman, a woman who sued for her freedom in 1780 — and won.

Nancy Eve Cohen is a former NEPM senior reporter whose investigative reporting has been recognized with an Edward R. Murrow Regional Award for Hard News, along with awards for features and spot news from the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA), American Women in Radio & Television and the Society of Professional Journalists.

She has reported on repatriation to Native nations, criminal justice for survivors of child sexual abuse, linguistic and digital barriers to employment, fatal police shootings and efforts to address climate change and protect the environment. She has done extensive reporting on the EPA's Superfund cleanup of the Housatonic River.

Previously, she served as an editor at NPR in Washington D.C., as well as the managing editor of the Northeast Environmental Hub, a collaboration of public radio stations in New York and New England.

Before working in radio, she produced environmental public television documentaries. As part of a camera crew, she also recorded sound for network television news with assignments in Russia, Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba and in Sarajevo during the war in Bosnia.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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