Lizzie Heard and Andrea Cook wave to friends and family as they arrive at the Old Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. (Photos By Dayna Smith For The Washington Post)

FHNA SOCIAL COMMITTEE NEWS

A Patriot History Almost Forgotten

Relatives Celebrate as Revolutionary War Veteran Receives Military Honors

By James Hohmann with advisement

Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 11, 2009

Laughter and applause aren’t the norm at Arlington National Cemetery, a somber place where national leaders and war heroes are buried.

But it seemed natural Saturday morning when Oscar Marion became the first slave who fought in the Revolutionary War to receive military honors there.

About 40 people in folding chairs huddled under half as many umbrellas during a rainy ceremony in the cemetery’s Old Amphitheater.

Marion was the personal slave of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion, the legendary “Swamp Fox” from South Carolina who thwarted British Redcoats during the War of Independence. Like other slaves in that era, Marion took his master’s surname.

But Saturday was Marion’s day. An honor guard presented the colors. Soloists sang the National Anthem and the hymn “Bright Morning Stars Are Rising.” A wreath was laid at the base of the stage. A bugler played taps. But it was more family reunion than funeral, and the women in the family wore festive red outfits for the occasion.

John C. Marion, 86, flew in from Atlanta for the ceremony. He fought in World War II and was one of 17 direct descendants at the ceremony. Calvin Mitchell, 60, of Silver Spring, another Marion descendant, proudly pointed to his Uncle John.

“From the Revolutionary War and beyond, I’d like to say that my family has indeed heeded the clarion call and is very much part of America’s history,” Mitchell said.

Eleven Revolutionary War dead have been reinterred at Arlington. Relatives think Marion is buried on a former plantation in South Carolina. His story garnered national media coverage in 2006 after a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol that recognized Marion as an “African American Patriot.”

An oil painting that hangs in a third-floor corridor of the Capitol’s Senate wing depicts Francis Marion, in a military hat, talking to a red-coated British officer. Oscar Marion, kneeling behind a table and cooking sweet potatoes on a fire, is also there.

His identity had not been known until Tina C. Jones, a relative, persuaded the Senate curator to put a label with the painting that reflected the new information. Jones said Saturday’s ceremony was another important step in wining recognition not just for Marion but for the general contributions of African Americans to the nation’s independence.

‘The whole aura of just being out in the open, amongst presidents and other fellow Americans who paid the ultimate sacrifice, is awe-inspiring,” said Jones, a genealogist who runs the Rockville-based Oscar Marion Project.

During Saturday’s ceremony, several scenes from the 2000 movie “The Patriot,” which starred Mel Gibson and featured a character named Occam, who is based on Oscar Marion, played on a flat-screen television.

Robert Simons, 49, of Charleston, S.C., a distant nephew of Gen. Marion, attended the ceremony in his Navy uniform.

“It’s a wonderful story,” he said. “It’s just a wonderful piece of Americana.”

Residents from Federal Hill Neighborhood Association who attended the historic event were Lane Bert, Victoria Smith, Kathie McCleskey and Wali Mutazammil.

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Dear Friends, please visit the MWAMBA CHILDREN’S CHOIR BLOG
to watch their latest Promotional Video.

MWAMBA UGANDA CHILDREN’S CHOIR was founded by Stephen Sekitende to raise funds and groom talent through music from I AM Children’s Family.  MWAMBA has recorded two studio albums and has toured USA, England, Northern Ireland, Sweden and Denmark including at the famous Choral festival.

Friends of The Choir help meet the considerable costs of the choir training, travel, medical needs and living expenses as the choir tours around the world.  This is a most rewarding way of giving to the choir and the teachers who give so much to spread love and hope wherever they perform.

I AM Children’s Family was founded in 1998, and is a fully registered Non-Government Organization in Uganda as Charity No. S. 591/6624.   I AM Children’s Family supports over 200 children orphaned by AIDS and other diseases.  Its ministry is based on a strong Christian background and focuses on nurturing honest, God-fearing leaders of tomorrow, as well providing the five basic needs of a child: food, shelter, clothing, education and parental love.

The Choir is under the umbrella of I AM Children’s Family and has a supporting organization in the USA called Partners United Thru Christ (P.U.T.C.I.).  The major objective of the Choir’s 2009 Tour is to raise funds to build a multi-purpose facility, primary and secondary schools, a hospital, and sports facility for the children.

MWAMBA UGANDA CHILDREN’S CHOIR recently, has performed at two standing room neighborhood churches in Federal Hill.  The FHNA Social Committee is delighted to share this invitation with members of FHNA during our Autumn Season.  For further information, please contact: Michael Gamon at email: gamon.michael@gmail.com or 410-926-4048, and/or FHNA Social Committee Chair, Wali at email: mutazammil@hotmail.com or 443-602-7718.

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The Mayor’s Fall Clean-Up Project in Federal Hill was successful. Wali Mutazammil, FHNA Social Committee Chair was informed on Saturday, October 17th at 8:00am that the clean–up project was still scheduled as planned despite the damp weather. As the old saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, once again that old saying is resonating in Federal Hill. Our environmentally conscious neighbors deposited bags of leaves and bags of trash, broken tree branches, etc. at the corner of William St. & Warren Avenue, which was the designated pick-up point for supplies and drop-off point for trash, debris, etc. Residents were the backbone in the success of the clean-up project. The oneness of spirit, great energy with laughter and a “can do” mood among our residents was present. Congrats to all residents who participated throughout our neighborhood, as well as those could not make it on Saturday. Collectively, I believe, if a few more residents keep showing-up consistently with oneness of spirit, great energy with laughter and a “can do” mood, ‘we can do anything’ and have a positive affect in our neighborhood in 2009-2010. Special thanks to Kathie McCleskey for picking-up the supplies, Kelly Sheehan block captain for taking the initiative to call and going the extra mile, Jane Wehrle for giving multiple announcements in The Loop, Pastor Lyn O’Berry from Lee Street Memorial Baptist Church and his congregation for offering a wheel barrow and extra hands, management at Southern High Apartments for encouraging their residents to participate in the clean-up, Walt Saxon and many others for their encouragement and moral support.

Residents from Southern High Apartments in the photo from left to right are Victoria Smith, Kathleen Pingley, Barbara Bradford (standing) and Catherine Smith far right.

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