ALABAMA STATE CAPITOL HOSTING POW/MIA DISPLAY & RECOGNITION DAY

09/12/18

Alabama Historical Commission, Marketing & Public Relations Manager:
Jacqulyn Kirkland, 334-230-2645 or jacqulyn.kirkland@ahc.alabama.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2018


ALABAMA STATE CAPITOL HOSTING POW/MIA DISPLAY & RECOGNITION DAY

The Alabama State Capitol is hosting a special POW/MIA display in the Old Supreme Court Library.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day is the third Friday of September, each year. In honor of this day, a display is placed in the Alabama State Capital by Rolling Thunder Alabama Chapter 2, during the month of September. This display consists of the missing man chair and panels for the State of Alabama.

These panels list:

•    The names of prisoners of war from the state of Alabama for World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Somalia.

•    The names of those missing in action from the state of Alabama for the Korean War, Vietnam War and the Cold War.

•    Maps of South East Asia.

These lists were compiled by Don Westwood, US Navy (Ret), now deceased. These names were found by tirelessly searching through numerous data banks, as there were no comprehensive lists to be found.  

The missing man chair represents those who were prisoners and those who are still missing. It represents the honor, respect and sorrow that families, loved ones and friends have for these service members. The chair is flanked by the United States flag and the POW/MIA flag. These represent the sacrifice that was given to their nation, and honors those who have never returned home.

You Are Not Forgotten – that’s the central phrase behind POW/MIA Recognition Day, a day to honor the sacrifices made by America’s prisoners of war, those who are still missing in action, and their families.

Recognition day on Saturday, Sept 22, 2018 on the South Lawn.


For more information contact Lisa Franklin, Site Director of the Alabama State Capitol, at 334-242-3188 or lisa.franklin@ahc.alabama.gov

About the Alabama State Capitol
For 150 years the Alabama State Capitol has overlooked downtown Montgomery from its hilltop setting. This National Historic Landmark is a working museum of state history and politics. The Confederacy began in the senate chamber when delegates from southern states voted to establish a new nation in February 1861. A brass star on the west portico marks the location where Jefferson Davis stood to be inaugurated as the first and only president of the Confederacy. A little more than a century later in the spring of 1965 the Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights culminated at the capitol steps. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made one of his greatest speeches to an estimated 25,000 people. The Alabama State Capitol is now recognized as an official destination on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail along with more than 100 locations across 14 states. Located inside the Capitol at the Union Street entrance, The Goat Hill Museum Store is the best place to find Alabama-made gifts, specialty food, souvenirs, holiday ornaments, and more! Learn more about this historic site at ahc.alabama.gov/alabama-state-capitol


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About the Alabama Historical Commission
Located in historic downtown Montgomery at 468 S. Perry Street, the Alabama Historical Commission is the state historic preservation agency for Alabama. The agency was created by an act of the state legislature in 1966 with a mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s historic places. AHC works to accomplish its mission through two fields of endeavor: Preservation and promotion of state-owned historic sites as public attractions; and, statewide programs to assist people, groups, towns, and cities with local preservation activities. For a complete list of programs and properties owned and operated by the AHC, hours of operation, and admission fees please visit ahc.alabama.gov
      




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