"I just had to speak out"

During the 1931 dedication of the Heyward Shepherd memorial, Pearl Tatten interrupted the ceremony after hearing praise for “faithful slaves.” She declared that she was the daughter of a Union soldier who had fought for the freedom of her people, “for which John Brown struck the first blow.” Tatten directly challenged the faithful slave stereotype and said, “We are pushing forward to a larger freedom…” Her remarks shocked the audience, and the Baltimore Afro-American reported that “Confederate Daughters gape as she lauds John Brown.” The dedication included the memorial’s sponsors, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Lovettsville, Maryland · United States