BOSTON — Thousands of people gathered on the Boston Common to rededicate a memorial to the Shaw 54th Regiment, the Civil War unit of Black volunteer soldiers depicted in the 1989 movie “Glory.”
The ceremony came after a $3 million restoration project that began in May 2020. The monument was hoisted back onto its foundation in March 2021 before it was unveiled during Memorial Day weekend.
“Generations of trailblazers have shaped Boston’s legacy as a beacon of justice, resilience and change,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we commemorate one of the first Black fighting regiments to serve in our country’s Civil War, in our nation’s first public park, I’m grateful to all of our partners for uplifting this important monument.”
Situated along the Freedom Trail, the bronze and stone memorial depicts the regiment’s march down Beacon Street past the State House on May 28, 1863.
The rededication on Wednesday included a “living history” reenactment of the famed march and speeches from author and researcher Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, historian David Blight and former National Park Service director Robert Stanton.
The monument first opened in 1897 and was sculpted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
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