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Fort Lawton Commemoration Event

Calendar/Event Details

Sat, Oct. 19 @ 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Join us Saturday, October 19, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Discovery Park Visitor Center for the 80th anniversary commemoration of a significant, but often overlooked, tragic event in the history of Fort Lawton during World War II.
We'll unveil new signage honoring the 28 exonerated Black soldiers wrongly convicted in 1944. The event will feature guest speakers, including author Jack Hamann, who wrote the landmark book, On American Soil.

Our commemoration on October 19 has been two years in the making. To mark this 80th anniversary, Friends of Discovery Park secured grant funding from the City’s Department of Neighborhoods, with which to design, review, fabricate, and (soon) install four new signs for the park. Two of these signs will commemorate the 1944 civil rights tragedy. (One of the designs is below.)

Enjoy free treats and a short program on Saturday, October 19 at 10 a.m. Please consider walking, biking, or using public transport. Let's reflect and honor this important moment in history. 

Image sourced from event website.

Event Details