William H. Carney's role in the battle of Fort Wagner marked the first time a black soldier was recognized with the Medal of Honor.
SPRINGFIELD — The Stone Soul Sesquicentennial Celebration will be held Aug. 22 and will honor William H. Carney, the first black soldier to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The event, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Cedars Banquet Hall at 375 Island Pond Road, will feature a historical exhibit on Carney, a New Bedford resident who was wounded on July 18, 1863, while fighting with the Massachusetts 54th Colored Regiment during the assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina.
“Despite being wounded several times, he picked up the American flag from (a wounded soldier) and carried it to the top of the (fort’s) parapet,” said Jay Griffin, of Springfield, a member of the banquet’s organizing committee.
When the Union’s attack was turned back, “he brought the flag back down and carried it across the battlefield, suffering more wounds; later, he said: ‘The flag never hit the ground,’” Griffin said.
Carney’s role in the battle of Fort Wagner marked the first time a black soldier was recognized with the Medal of Honor. It was 37 years before he actually received the award.
Tickets for the banquet are $15 for a single; $25 for a couple.
Naomi White-Inniss, retired director of multicultural affairs at American International College, will serve as mistress of ceremony.
The event will serve as a kick-off for the Stone Soul Festival, held Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. The banquet will also honor local individuals for distinguished service in their fields. Among them:
• Ronald J. Brace, Sr. and the entire Brace family for 250 years of family history; one of Brace’s relatives, Peter Brace, served with Carney in the 54th Colored Regiment.
• Lawyer Philip Lauro for his legal skills and philanthropic efforts, particularly in athletics.
• Mabel L. Sharif, community outreach coordinator at the Mason Square neighborhood Health Center.
• Andrew Cade, vice president of the Springfield Urban League.
• Raymond Jordan, retired state legislator and form administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Prominent presenters will include Roderick L. Ireland, chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; former U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Wayne Budd; Mayor Domenic J. Sarno; Wayne Phaneuf, editor of The Republican newspaper; state Rep. Benjamin Swan; Amherst College professor Robert Romer; and Springfield Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris.