GLORY for George! Understanding the Massachusetts 54th, and The Connection Between the American Revolution and War of the Rebellion

This event kicks off the weekend of honoring Concord’s native son George Washington Dugan on the 160th anniversary of his heroic sacrifice with the Massachusetts 54th during the assault of Fort Wagner.

Marvin Alonso Greer noted historical interpreter will trace the connections made between these two conflicts and the growing struggle to expand the rights of life, liberty, and dignity to all people of our nation.

A particular focus of tonight’s discussion will be the sacrifice of Concord’s native son George Washington Dugan and how his participation as a Black Concordian was and was not remembered and honored. The discussion will focus on how as a community we can and must use our skills of historical interpretation, and cultural markers to celebrate and highlight all those often left out of the historical narrative.

About Marvin Alonso Greer

Marvin-Alonzo Greer is the Lead Historic Interpretation & Community Engagement Officer for the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission. He moved to Washington DC after serving three years at the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum in St. Louis. While at Soldiers Memorial, Marvin-Alonzo oversaw the reopening of the museum after a three-year, $30 million revitalization of the 1930s era building. He developed K-12 programming, community engagement strategies, and a robust public program initiative highlighting the accomplishments of St. Louisans and their connections to the military. Community outreach and public programs under his leadership promoted veterans from various communities often left out of the historical narrative, including African American, LGBTQIA, Latinx, women, American Indian, Asian and immigrant communities. In his personal time, he practices interpretive skills by going into undeserved communities and bringing history to life through neighborhood tours, living histories, and museum theater performances. A native of Pasadena, California, Marvin-Alonzo grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where he graduated from Morehouse College with a BA in History and a minor in African American Studies. He has held leadership and managerial roles at museums and historical institutions, including the Atlanta History Center and Colonial Williamsburg. He was awarded the Emancipation Proclamation Award for Preserving African American History and Culture by the City of Atlanta for his activism and partnership with community organizations to place neighborhoods in historical context. When he is not working, he helps Black families trace their genealogy and has traced his own ancestry to the American Revolution. Marvin-Alonzo is a mentor and big brother to living historians and historical interpreters. He co-founded the Sons and Daughters of Ham (civilian) and The Hannibal Guards (military), two living history organizations dedicated to interpreting the lives of African Americans in the Civil War. Under his leadership, the Sons & Daughters of Ham were recognized by the National Park Service with the National Capital Region Hartzog Award for Excellence in Group Volunteering. In 2021 Marvin-Alonzo was profiled in People Magazine as a Black Activists, Artists, Historians, and Changemakers. Marvin-Alonzo’s central belief is to use history as medicine by connecting communities to their past and creating honest dialogue across cultures that will inspire communities to action. Marvin-Alonzo’s interpretive philosophy is, “If history is not interesting and relevant, you’re not teaching it right.

The Town of Concord DEI Commission sponsors this event with the Concord Free Public Library.