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The Wall of Honor
August 27, 2005
The Onondaga Nation was proud to be part of the Wall of Honor Celebration.
The Nation was a proud contributor of the Wall honoring the contributions
of minorities during World War II. Chief Sid Hill spoke to the crowd
and offered our Thanksgiving Address for those in attendance tonight
and to remember all that have sacrificed so much.
Many veterans in the
community gathered and thought of a way to have future generations remember
the accomplishments of the “Greatest
Generation”.
Wall of Honor Background
World War II was the
war to end all wars… However, it did not
end segregation, nor did it provide equality or recognition for minority
veterans who served our country with pride and dignity. It is a fact
that World War II Minority Veterans served in an environment of segregation
and discrimination. They served in separate units, ate and slept in separate
barracks, and were denied promotions. In short, they were forced to endure
unfair conditions and practices while serving their country. It is an
irony that these brave men and women were denied the very freedoms they
were fighting for, yet they continued to serve, and did so, with honor.
Following the War, their contributions were intentionally overlooked
and ignored by media and the history textbooks.
The objective of this project was to establish a monument to inscribe
the names of our “forgotten” veterans, living and deceased,
as a testimony to their contributions to the World War II Allied Victory
which paved the way for freedoms enjoyed by all Americans today, regardless
of race, creed or class.
The Wall of Honor is located in the lobby of
the Syracuse OnCenter, Syracuse, New York.
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