The Apache sentinel., 1944-08-25
Script
Continued from Page One;

Continued from Page One
bright thread throughout the pro-
duction in which were brought out
facts of the Negro soldiers heroic
struggle for the right to fight in all
of the wars of his country even be-
fore the War of American Indepen-
dence.
1t. Consuelo Bland unveiled the
mural. panel by panel, until its five
/ panels were revealed. These in
cluded scenes from: ''The Battle of
Monmouth during the Revolution
ary War;" ''The Battle of New Or
leans in the War of 1872" "The
Stand of the 54th Massachusetts,
All-Negro Regiment at Fort Wag-
ner, S. c., in the Civil War;" "The
Charge at San Juan Hill during the
Spanish American War" and "The
369th u S. Infantry fighting with
the French Army during World
War l."
Announcer in presenting the
script was S/Sgt. Lawrence Whiso-
nant, who was supported by Pvt
Emmett Babe Wallace as Andrew
Jackson" and "a British Soldier, -
and Capt. Baxter S. Scruggs, as
Frederick Douglas" T/5 Alberta
Henley as Harriet Tubman," a
chorus of WACs and enlisted men
and the Post Military Band.
The script. which added immeaS-
urably to the audiences apprecia-
ton and understanding of the mural
was written by Pvt. Theodore
Browne of New York City, actor
playwright and director, who was
director of Negro unit of the Fed
eral Theatre in Seattle and script
writer for the Federal Theatre in
Boston, prior to coming into the
Army 10 months ago. He also did a
radio continuity in a series of Negro
sketches for station WBz in Boston
and was winner of the Dramatists
Guild Rockefeller Playwriting schol-
arship in 1941. The American Negro
theatre in Harlem presented one of
! his plays, Natural Man." based on
the John Henry folk legend in 1941
Master of ceremonies during the
unveiling and dedication program
was 1t. Col G. F. E. Nelson, Post
Coordinator of Special and Morale
Services.
Preceding the unveiling and dedi-
cation program medley OF "SongS
of Our Wars" was played by the
Post Military Band. Invocation was
given by Chaplain Louis j. Beasley,
followed by a prologue, THE Spirit
of Fort Huachuca," a medley of
original songs of the fort arranged
by Cpl. Austin L. Mccoy
An impressive rendition Of "Divi-
sion 92," composed by Mrs. L. G..
Osborne, was sung by S/Sgt. Leon
Stanford of the 92nd Division.
Col. Edwin N. Hardy, Post Com
mander, whose idea it was to have
the mural of "The Negro Soldier
painted explained to the audience
the reasons for his dream of this
historical mural and paid tribute to
the artist who executed it in oils
and gesso and others who contrib
uted to the program.
Maj. Gen. E. M. Almond, COM
manding general of the 92nd Divi-
sion likewise paid tribute to the
artist, and also complimented Fort
Huachuca's Post Commander for
the efforts which he has expended
in organizing activities for the en-
joyment of men of his outfit. He
added that he considered Sgt.
Davis work unfinished because
there are other panels to be added .
and that he expects to see thereon
a record of the achievements of
other troops which have trained
here under such favorable circum-
stances"
1t COL Wendell T. Derricks, COM
manding officer of the seth Field
Artillery Battalion, echoed praise of
the artist and the mural, but also
took the occasion to point out an
error in the historical information
printed pertaining to the mural.
The program cerdited the 369th U. S.
Infantry, an all-Negro unit which
served with the 18th French Divi-
sion with being the only American