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Thursday, April 9, 2015

CIVIL WAR ENDED 150 YEARS AGO

LEE SURRENDERED TO GRANT 150 YEARS AGO 

Appomattox Court House, Virginia (JFK+50) Confederate General Robert Edward Lee formally surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Commander of all Union armies, General Ulysses S. Grant, in the home of Wilmer McLean here at Appomattox 150 years ago today.

General Lee arrived at 1:00 p.m. while General Grant arrived a half hour later.
The two generals met for about an hour and a half in the parlor of the McLean home.

Lee accepted Grant's generous terms in behalf of his weary army of 28,000. The terms provided that all Lee's men would be pardoned, could keep their horses, and return to their homes.

Lee, wearing a full dress military uniform with sword, presented a stark contrast to the characteristically modest Grant who wore a private's blouse.

After the ceremony was over a Union band began to play, but General Grant stopped them saying:

"The war is over.  The Rebels are our countrymen again."

SOURCE

"Surrender at Appomattox," April 9, 1865, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/



Lee Surrenders to Grant
Appomattox Court House, VA.
April 9, 1865

MARIAN ANDERSON SINGS AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) African-American contralto Marian Anderson gave a free concert on Easter Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, here in the Nation's Capital, 86 years ago today, April 9, 1939.

Miss Anderson was originally scheduled to perform at Constitution Hall but the concert was cancelled by the Daughters of the American Revolution.  First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR in protest and arranged for Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower made Marian Anderson an honorary delegate to the United Nations.  Miss Anderson was invited by John F. Kennedy to sing the National Anthem his inauguration on January 20, 1961.

Marian was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Mr. Kennedy.



Marian Anderson Sings
Lincoln Memorial 
Washington, D.C.
April 9, 1939