The Maryland National Guard has announced that they will not participate in the Frederick Douglass parade due to guidance set by the Department of Defense. The decision was made in accordance with new guidelines that prohibit the use of federal resources for events related to cultural awareness months, including Black History Month. The parade, scheduled for February 22 in Easton, Maryland, has been canceled as a result.
In a memo, the Maryland National Guard stated that they cannot support events that celebrate individuals based on immutable characteristics, as per the new guidance from the Department of Defense. Despite the cancellation of the parade, other events surrounding the celebration of Frederick Douglass will continue as planned.
The Department of Defense’s statement emphasized the importance of unity and purpose within the military, discouraging efforts to divide the force based on identity. Going forward, official resources will not be used for cultural awareness events, but service members and civilians are still permitted to attend such events unofficially outside of duty hours.
This decision has sparked discussions about the role of identity months within the military and the focus on celebrating the character and service of military heroes regardless of their immutable characteristics. The story was originally reported by Dominick Philippe-Auguste with the Scripps News Group.
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