A00452 - Robert H. Romer: Part Four: Romer and Einstein
After graduating from Amherst College, Robert Romer headed to Princeton University. At that time, Princeton was the home of some of the most brilliant mathematicians and physicists in history. Many of these geniuses had offices at the Institute for Advanced Study
Einstein joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Princeton, where he campaigned for the civil rights of African Americans. He considered racism America's "worst disease",[132][160] seeing it as "handed down from one generation to the next".[161] As part of his involvement, he corresponded with civil rights activist W. E. B. Du Bois and was prepared to testify on his behalf during his trial as an alleged foreign agent in 1951.[162] When Einstein offered to be a character witness for Du Bois, the judge decided to drop the case.[163]
This is the grave of Charles Finnemore, who served in the Massachusetts 54th Infantry, one of the first black units in the Civil War. Finnemore is buried in West Cemetery in Amherst and is one of five soldiers to be honored in ceremonies Sunday.
AMHERST - Just before Memorial Day last spring, Robert Romer was walking through the West Cemetery when he noticed that there were no commemorative flags marking the graves of black soldiers who served in the Civil War.
"I'm absolutely sure this was an accident. We don't keep very good records."," he said, adding that his first thought was "somebody's got to fix this."
So, Romer and his wife, Betty, bought some flags and had a conversation with Veterans Agent Steven Connor to ensure the graves would not be missed next year. Connor said "let's make a ceremony out of this," Romer recounted.
That ceremony will take place Sunday at 2 p.m. at West Cemetery, followed by a public reception at Hope Community Church, 16 Gaylord St. Some of the soldiers' descendants will be attending, Romer said.
Romer, a retired Amherst College physics professor and author of "Slavery in the Connecticut Valley of Massachusetts," said they initially talked about a celebration earlier this summer, but he's glad they waited.
Now, he said, "we know so much more" about the men.
Romer said he expects that more black soldiers are buried in the cemetery, considering 20 from Amherst fought in the Civil War.
Included among the late black soldiers is Charles Finnemore, who served in the Massachusetts 54th Infantry and fought in the battle at Fort Wagner in Charleston S.C., where he was wounded. He had three children, all of whom died, and was one of the founders of Hope Church in Amherst.
Other black soldiers are Genalvin Marse, who served in the Connecticut 29th Infantry and moved to Amherst around 1890, and Christopher Thompson, a member of the Massachusetts 5th Cavalry.
Marse was a janitor at Amherst College’s Chi Psi fraternity. Thompson died in Pelham, but a death certificate said he was buried in West Cemetery.
Romer placed a temporary marker next to the grave of Thompson's son, Charles Thompson, also a member of the Massachusetts 5th Cavalry and a janitor at Amherst’s Delta-Kappa-Epsilon fraternity.
Because gravestones were expensive, the family may not have had money to install one, Romer said.
John Thompson, also of the Massachusetts 5th Cavalry, died during a "training accident" at Camp Readville, near Boston.
Christopher Thompson's great-great-granddaughter and great-great-great-grandsons will attend the ceremony, Romer said, including William Harris, who's flying in from Los Angeles.
"It means a great deal," to them Romer said.
Besides celebrating these five, Romer said, he also hopes the ceremony will call attention to the fact that 200,000 black soldiers fought in the Civil War.
"That's a number that ought to be in bold," he said.
On Friday night, the film "Glory" will be shown at 5:30 p.m. at Hope Community Church. The film shows the Massachusetts 54th's July 1863 attack on Fort Wagner. The 54th was one of the first black units organized in the northern states.
Pizza and a discussion will follow the film.
Acting Amherst Town Manager M. David Ziomek will participate in Sunday's festivities, which will include choral performances by choirs from Hope Community Church and Amherst's Goodwin Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church.Diane Lederman
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