Richard Poplar Memorial Day in Petersburg

The public is invited to Petersburg’s 10th Annual Richard Poplar Day Memorial, to be held on Saturday, 14 September 2013, at 11:30 a. m. on Memorial Hill in Blandford Cemetery.  This memorial program joins our nation’s National POW/MIA Recognition Week in honoring all our nation’s POW/MIA military heroes.

Richard Poplar, a Black Confederate soldier, was a Petersburg resident and member of Company H, 13th Virginia Cavalry, the Sussex Light Dragoons.  Private Poplar was captured with other members of his unit during the retreat from Gettysburg in July 1863.  He first was confined at Fort Delaware for five months and then transferred to the infamous Point Lookout, Maryland, prison where he was confined for fourteen months.  Private Poplar overcame this nineteen-month peril in a most heroic manner that required outstanding courage and sacrifice.

After being exchanged in February/March 1865, Richard Poplar returned home to Petersburg and remained for the duration of his life.  At his death in May 1886, the Petersburg Index-Appeal included in his obituary recognition by veteran comrades for providing aid and comfort to his comrades while confined at Point Lookout including those fellow Petersburg residents captured during Petersburg’s Battle of the Old Men & Boys on 9 June 1864, a date which is now Petersburg’s Memorial Day.  Private Poplar was given a large military funeral and buried alongside his fellow comrades at Memorial Hill.  His pall bearers included Capt. E. A. Goodwyn, Capt. J. R. Patterson, Gen. Stith Bolling, Col. E. M. Field, and Mesrs. Jesse Newcomb and R. M. Dobie.

On 18 September 2004, Petersburg Mayor Annie Mickens recognized and honored POW Richard Poplar at Blandford Church and presented the Richard A. Stewart/Pocahontas Black History Museum of Pocahontas Island, Petersburg, a Petersburg City Proclamation honoring Private Richard Poplar.

Ms. Teresa Roane, Archivist for the Museum of the Confederacy, will be this year’s special guest speaker.  Ms. Roane was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia.  She earned her B. A. in History at Virginia Commonwealth University.  She worked for eight years at Richmond Public Library followed by fifteen years in the Valentine Museum’s library.  Ms. Roane has served on the Boards of Friends of the Richmond Public Library, Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods, and Historic Richmond Foundation.  She has given many presentations and workshops, and she spends her free time reading, watching movies, and walking battlefields.

For additional information, you may call the Blandford Church Reception Center at 804-733-2396 or go the website:  http://www.petersburgexpress.com/Petersburg_Events.html 

Janet J. Perkins
Office Assistant III 
Henrico County Recreation and Parks 
office: 804.652.3406 
[log in to unmask] | henricorecandparks.com
   
______________________________________
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html