REMEMBER the Fallen. HONOR those who Serve. TEACH our Children the Value of Freedom
Each year, Wreaths Across America brings together communities across the nation to lay remembrance wreaths on the graves of fallen heroes. Oakwood Cemetery, home to over 1,600 veterans’ graves, is no exception.
đź“… December 14, 2024, at 12pm
đź“Ť Oakwood Cemetery, 471 Church St N, Concord, NC 28025
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Cabarrus County will gather at the cemetery on December 14, 2024, to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. Join the more than two million volunteers and supporters at more than 4,600 participating locations in all 50 states, at sea, and abroad.
<< See video: What is Wreaths Across America? >>
Volunteers will lay wreaths on these graves immediately following a 12pm ceremony, pausing to say the name of each veteran aloud. This simple act not only honors each individual but also serves as a reminder that the sacrifices of our heroes are never forgotten. This will be the third year that the Cabarrus County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has participated and it has grown each year. See photos below from last year’s event.
Photo Credits: Wreaths Across America NC0329 – Cabarrus Black Boys Chapter NSDAR
You can support this event in a number of ways:
Sponsor Wreaths: For $17 per wreath, you can sponsor one or more wreaths by visiting Wreaths Across America – Oakwood Cemetery. Be sure to choose “NC0329 – Cabarrus Black Boys Chapter NSDAR” so the wreaths are purchased for Concord veterans.
You can also track how many wreaths have been sold so far on the DAR Chapter website. If you would like to sponsor multiple wreaths through your business, reach out to the DAR for options. Sponsoring a veteran’s wreath is a personal gift of gratitude and remembrance for someone who served this country so that we can be free.
Volunteer at the Event: If you’d like to take a more hands-on role, volunteers are warmly invited to help lay the wreaths. Bring family, friends, and neighbors to share this experience. Volunteering offers a moment to reflect on the service and courage of those who defended our freedom while passing on those lessons to the next generation. Visit their website to sign up.
Wreaths Across America at Oakwood Cemetery is proudly coordinated by the Cabarrus Black Boys Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Story Behind the Local Chapter Name: Cabarrus Black Boys Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution
{Shared from the Chapter website}
In May 1771, nine young men, born in the Rocky River community reacted to the royal governor sending a shipment of gunpowder through Cabarrus County on its way to Hillsboro to be used to “put down” the Regulator Movement at Alamance. The young men blackened their faces with soot to disguise themselves. They made their way to Phifer’s old muster grounds on Poplar Tent Road. After nightfall, they attacked the royal government’s encampment. They moved the teamsters and horses to safety then laid a trail of gunpowder to the three wagons and blew it up. In the late 1700’s they were branded the Cabarrus Black Boys due to their disguises and the soot.
After this incident, the name “Cabarrus Black Boys” became a badge of honor and was used by Cabarrus County military units in the Civil War, Spanish – American War, Mexican Punitive Expedition and into WWI. Many of these veterans are buried in Oakwood Cemetery.
Descendants of these young men started our chapter and named it the Cabarrus Black Boys Chapter in memory of these great patriots that went on to serve in the American Revolution. All of the chapter charter members, but one are buried in Oakwood Cemetery as are many early chapter officers and members.
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