The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park mission is to honor and perpetuate the memories of all men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces and Wartime Merchant Marine.
Besides hosting exhibits, artifacts and the stories of veterans, the museum hosts events dedicated to remembering and learning about the sacrifices and contributions of men and women who serve and have served in the Armed forces.
At the end of February the museum celebrated Black History Month with the after- hours lecture, “Remembering and Honoring African Americans for Their Service.”
Included in the evening was a documentary, World War II African American veteran Martin Simms and a presentation about Master Chief Petty Office Carl Brasher, the Navy’s first African American Master Diver.
The evening started with the showing of the documentary, “African Americans in World War II: A Legacy of Patriotism and Valor,” which set the historical context of Simms’ talk about serving in the Army as a Construction Foreman in WWII.
With an intimate crowd, guests learned the 95-year-old struggles and accomplishments during this tough in our nation’s history.
Simms traveled from England to France and landed the day after D-Day, where he helped build roads, buildings, barracks and hospitals.
“I would fight for America under any circumstance,” said Simms, ADD.
While in France, Simms was in the historic Battle of Remagen, where he surged with the troops during the one week that African Americans were allowed to fight on the front line. Simms continued his service in the Army and was later sent to the Philippines for six months, where then he came back to the United States to be honoring discharged from the service in 1946.
Martin, a humble man, was born in Kansas and isn’t afraid of hard work. Once Simms completed his service in the Army, he went on to join the postal service as a railroad clerk. With his hard work and dedication he was promoted to the first African American post master of Washington D.C.
The crowd was enraptured listening to Martin, not only for his story, but for his positive attitude. In Martin’s words, “I love America and I wasn’t afraid to work hard.”
One veteran was so moved by Martin’s words he came up to the stage and sang “Amazing Grace,” with the entire room humming and singing along.
Robert Lewis, another veteran in the crowd, said of the evening, “It’s comforting, it’s soothing, it’s educational, you can see people learning stuff. I learned a few things about what was going on.”
For Lewis events of this nature are vital because it helps fill in the gaps in what we learn in history class. “It’s the educational thing, it’s also the comradery. And times like this, it’s people from different walks of life coming together and learning something.”
“Looking at people’s faces and because they never know, they never knew. In history class you learn about slavery, Eli Whitney and the cotton gin, Frederick Douglas . . . it’s very limited,” said Lewis.
The evening ended with a short presentation on Master Chief Carl Brashear, the Navy’s first African American Master Diver. Brashear’s story was made into the popular film “Men of Honor,” with actor Cuba Gooding Jr. as Brashear.
The evening was not only an educational event, but also a way for civilians, veterans, active duty and everything in between to come together.
Also of those who attended, Chaplain Anthony Carl Winston was one of the most moved attendees. Winston, an Air Force veteran, enthusiastically said, “I’m a U.S. veteran. I’m not an African American veteran. I’m an American veteran. Period,” said Winston. “We all work together and we are in this together.”
By Sarah Luken
(Image) Chaplain Anthony Carl Winston, Sheldon Margolis (Executive Director of the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park, Martin Simms, Robert Lewis.
