Legion officer resigns amid controversy involving censorship of Army officer's Memorial Day speech
Officer was speaking on black Americans' role in Memorial Day origins
An officer with the American Legion has resigned following blowback to a decision to censor a retired Army officer's Memorial Day speech that touched on the role black Americans played in the formation of the holiday.
Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter was speaking at a Memorial Day function in Hudson, Ohio this week when event organizers muted his microphone during a portion of the speech when he discussed former slaves digging up the bodies of Union soldiers in order to provide them with proper burials.
The decision generated local and national blowback and led to the resignation of American Legion Post 464 Adjutant Jim Garrison, one of two individuals implicated in the silencing of the retired Lt. Col's mic.
Garrison has reportedly been asked to rescind his membership in the organization altogether.