A milestone in Wilmington’s history commemorated by the Commission of African-American History and the Cameron Art Museum converged during the Battle of Forks Road Historical Marker unveiling at the intersection of South 17th Street and Museum Drive Friday, June 19.
The battle took place Feb. 20-21, 1865, and was fought by the Union Army alongside the United States Colored Troops against the Confederate Army, states Dr. Chris Fonvielle’s book, “The Wilmington Campaign: Last Rays of Departing Hope.” The Union was successful and won control over the city and the Cape Fear River.
“I’ve had the opportunity over the last half a decade to come here and see the reenactment of the Battle of Forks Road that the Cameron Art Museum puts in conjunction with the reenactors and it’s a great thing to see,” said Mayor Bill Saffo. “I want to thank the African-American Commission for doing this. This is an important part of the history of Wilmington and of New Hanover County and of the region. It’s always important to recognize all aspects of our history. One of the great things about Wilmington is its very rich history.”
Ansley Wegner, research historian for the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, spoke about the process of submitting a historical marker application.
“We take applications from anybody. . . . The Commission on African-American History here has been successful with two now,” she said. “We put it before history professors and they decide if a topic is of state-wide significance. It’s important to know that the markers we put up are for the state. . . . The markers are made of aluminum cast. Hopefully they’ll last for many, many decades to teach folks about our history.”
Willie Black, vice chairman of the Commission on African-American History, also spoke during the ceremony.
“Two years ago, I attended the Battle of Forks Road reenactment, along with our chair — at that time — the late Ms. Nancy Thomas. Before that time, I was unaware that there were any battles that took place after the fall of Fort Fisher,” he said. “We found a proposal, done by Fred Johnson two years before, that was submitted, but not approved. . . . We thought the timing could not be more perfect to resubmit the application for the Battle of Forks Road marker considering it was on the horizon of the 150th anniversary of the battle. With the assistance of the commission members, past and present, and to the staff at the Cameron Art Museum, we now are able to see this project come to fruition. We are going to see a marker today that not only recognizes the Battle of Forks Road, which was a pivotal point in Civil War history, we also are recognizing the United States Colored Troops who fought so bravely for the freedoms we enjoy today.”
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