Cheryl to Keynote President Grant National Birthday Commemoration in NYC

 

National Park Service

 

U.S. Department of the Interior

 

General Grant National Memorial

 

 

 

President Grant Birthday Commemoration

 

11 a.m. – Noon, April 27, 2014

 

Please join the National Park Service and the United

 

States Military Academy at General Grant National

 

Memorial (“Grant’s Tomb”) as they commemorate the

 

192nd anniversary of President Ulysses S Grant’s birth.

 

The theme of this year’s commemoration is “The

 

Relevance of History.”

 

The keynote speaker will be nationally recognized

 

award-winning journalist for NY1 News Cheryl Wills.

 

She is the author of the recent book “Die Free: A Heroic

 

Family Tale,” which pays homage to the storied treasure of

 

her great-great-great grandfather, Sandy Wills, who fled

 

his slave master and fought valiantly as a member of the

 

United States Colored Troops from 1863–1865.

 

Remarks will also be given by Brigadier General Richard

 

D. Clarke, 74th Commandant of Cadets, United State

 

Military Academy at West Point, representing the

 

President of the United States Barack Obama, and Ulysses

 

Grant Dietz, descendant of President Grant, among a few

 

other noted speakers.

 

In addition, West Point Cadets will provide an honor

 

guard, fire a salute, and play taps. Wreaths will be laid

 

at the mausoleum where Grant and his wife, Julia Dent

 

Grant, are entombed.

 

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony is moved

 

inside the mausoleum. The ceremony is open to the

 

public, and some seating is provided on a first-come

 

first-served basis.

 

Following the ceremony, from approximately 12:15 p.m.

 

to 12:30 p.m., Ms. Wills will be signing copies of her book,

 

which will be available at the visitor center across the

 

street from the mausoleum.