Name: 160th Anniversary Commemoration of the Meeting Between 20 African American Pastors & General Sherman
Start: 2025-01-12T17:00:00-05:00
Location: 14 W Macon St, Savannah, GA, United States, Georgia 31401

160th Anniversary Commemoration of the Meeting Between 20 African American Pastors & General Sherman

160th Anniversary Commemoration of the Historic Meeting in the Green Meldrim House: Consultation of 20 African American Pastors by General W. T. Sherman and Secretary of War E. Stanton
What: Historic House Open to the Community – Historic Commemoration
Admission: Free
When: Sunday, January 12 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Historical Background: On January 12th 1865 General William Sherman and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton met with twenty Black leaders of the Savannah community, mostly Baptist and Methodist ministers, to discuss the question of emancipation. The meeting marked the beginning of a new relation of equality between formerly enslaved Black leaders and Federal officials. Just four days later, Sherman issued the famous Field Order Number 15. From Sherman’s perspective the measure served as a means of providing for the thousands of Black refugees who had been following his army since its invasion of Georgia. (New Georgia Encyclopedia)
Event: Green-Meldrim House will be open, and docents will be on hand to describe the events of December/January 1865. Of special note is the second-floor room which served as Sherman’s private headquarters where the leaders met.