On this Memorial Day, some veterans were honored with banners in Manchester recognizing their years of service in our military. That included one Army veteran who’s the first Black woman to receive that honor in the town.
Flags and wreaths are on full display in downtown Manchester for Memorial Day. Many of them were placed at the various war memorials in town.
It’s a solemn affair for Bridgitte Prince.
“The people who I served with and didn’t come home really got their just due. Manchester did an excellent job,” Prince said.
For those who were able to come home like Prince, veterans are being honored with banners along Main Street, recognizing their years of service.
Prince served in the Army during the mid-1980’s and is the first Black woman to receive such an honor in town.
“I’m proud to be an American. I’m proud to have served. I’m proud to be in this community,” she said.
A community where Prince has been an outspoken voice and advocate, especially when it comes to affordable housing for veterans.
“A veteran should be able to come right to any community and the community says ‘listen, you served, now we’re going to serve you,’” Prince said.
Her banner was thanks to a nomination from the African-American and Black Affairs Council, or AABAC.
One member said highlighting Prince on Memorial Day is not only about showing representation, but sparking conversations about Black contributions to the holiday.
The National Park Service said one of the earliest recorded observations of Memorial Day was on May 1, 1865, where a crowd of mostly Black residents decorated the graves of Union soldiers in Charleston, South Carolina.
“They memorialized all those soldiers that were in the Union Army and so it was over 200 soldiers that they helped to support in that manner,” Rhonda Philbert, a founding member of AABAC, said.
Prince said she hopes her banner can inspire the next generation to serve.
“Hopefully young people will be inspired to go, even if it’s for a couple years,” she said.
Prince’s banner will remain displayed on Main Street until Memorial Day next year. AABAC said they’ll nominate another veteran for that honor after that.
