By Ashleigh Fields,
AFRO Assistant Editor

The AFRO honored those who have served the country on Nov. 7 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore. Prominent military leaders from around the state of Maryland were in attendance, including Adjutant General Janeen Birckhead, former Adjutant General Linda Singh and Anthony C. Woods, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. 

  • Travis E. Mitchell, senior vice president and chief content officer Maryland Public Television, with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dr. Dexter M. Brookins, receiving the award for father the late Maj. (Ret.) Edgar Brookins and Frances “Toni” Draper CEO and Publisher AFRO American Newspaper. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Master of Ceremony Travis E. Mitchell, with LTC Nadia Moss, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Arthur Dean and Frances ” Toni” Draper. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Shown here, veterans from sponsor GBMC’s table: U.S. Army Colonel George
    Forrest (left), U.S. Army Major General Arthur Dean and U.S. Marine Corps Colonel John Astle, a former Maryland senator from Anne Arundel County’s District 30.
    (Photo by James Fields)
  • AFRO Assistant Editor Ashleigh Fields takes a moment with Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, the only Black woman in the country to lead a state military. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Senior Vice President and Chief Content Officer Maryland Public Television Travis E. Mitchell serves as master of ceremony for the AFRO’s salute to Black veterans. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Maryland Del. Mike Rogers (D-Md.-32) speaks about the importance of honoring Black veterans. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Diane Hocker, AFRO director of community relations, leads attendees in the singing of the Black National Anthem, “Lift and Every and Sing.”
    (Photo by James Fields)
  • Shown here from left to right: AFRO President Benjamin M. Phillips lV with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dr. Dexter Brookins; Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Arthur Dean, Maryland Del. Mike Rogers (D-Md.-32), Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, Col. (Ret). Edna W. Cummings, Frances ” Toni” Draper and Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony C. Woods. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Chineta Kennedy (left) and Kelli Smith
    (Photo by James Fields)
  • The Baltimore Polytechnic Institute JROTC /Color Guard present the Star-Spangled Banner and the Maryland flag in honor of Veterans Day. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Frances “Toni” Draper, publisher of the AFRO-American Newspapers, celebrates the special reprint of the book, “This is Our War.” The book was originally rereleased by the AFRO in 1945, complete with accounts from AFRO war correspondents that served in the European Theatre of WWII. (Photo by James Fields)
  • Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony C. Woods speaks to the audience inside of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum on Nov. 7.(Photo by James Fields)

Speakers and honorees of the event shared personal testimonies of the veteran that impacted their life and memories from their own time in the service. The event also honored the Morgan State University ROTC Program. 

Honorees received a framed copy of the AFRO, with their own story front and center, and each guest received a copy of “This is Our War,” included in the price of their ticket. 

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