BUFFALO, N.Y. — The first monument honoring the service of African American veterans broke ground on Friday morning. The African American Veterans Monument is the first and only monument in the country dedicated solely to the service of African Americans.
Congressman Brian Higgins and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul were among the speakers. The groundbreaking was attended by veterans from wars ranging from World War II to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The groundbreaking comes a year after the announcement was first made.
The design for the monument features 12 pillars for each American involved conflict. Each pillar also features a beam of light representing the lanterns families would place in their windows to guide soldiers home.
Construction for the monument is scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2019,