Presentation on African Americans at West Point to follow
The Putnam History Museum Annual Meeting will convene on Saturday, April 6, at 4 p.m. The meeting will begin with reports by Board Chair William Hicks and Executive Director Mindy Krazmien. This will be followed by a presentation by Deputy Department Head of History at West Point Col. Ty Seidule on his latest research, Black Power Cadets: How African American Students Changed West Point in the 1970s.
Seidule outlines President Nixon’s 1971 proposal to create a Confederate monument on the West Point campus and the activism of the black cadets that ultimately led to the proposal’s dissolution. He will also talk about the cadets’ activism to raise funds for sickle cell anemia research, including how the cadets organized the “Concert for the Blood,” which featured Stevie Wonder and the Supremes, and how it changed race relations at West Point.
Following the lecture, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served. RSVP by calling 845-265-4010 or by emailing [email protected]. This event is free for all attendees.
