[W2CRA] CRA ii former secretary is Silent Key

[Thomas Lanieri]

 Received from Bill W3DE, Former CRA treasurer & former 

 

On 5-12-2014, Pete Sneed K1YSY a former secretary Cherryville Repeater Association II, became a Silent Key after complications with his heart and lungs.  Pete moved to Troy, Maine after retiring from US GSA where he was a Contractor Corrdinator.  One of his more famous contracts he oversaw is the federal building in lower Manhatten the became the archeology dig for a grave site headed up by Howard University. African Burial Ground National Monument at Duane Street and African Burial Ground Way (Elk Street) in the  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civic_Center,_Manhattan> Civic Center district of  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Manhattan> Lower Manhattan,  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City> New York City preserves a site containing the remains of more than 400  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African> Africans buried during the late 17th and 18th centuries in a portion of what was the largest colonial-era cemetery for people of African descent, some free, most enslaved. Historians estimate there may have been 15,000–20,000 burials in what was called the "Negroes Burial Ground" in the 1700s. The site's excavation and study were called "the most important historic urban archeological project in the United States," this according to General Services Administration.

The discovery highlighted the forgotten history of African slaves in colonial and federal New York City, who were integral to its development. By the  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War> American Revolutionary War, they constituted nearly a quarter of the population in the city, which had the second largest number of slaves in the nation after  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston,_South_Carolina> Charleston, South Carolina. Scholars and African-American civic activists joined to publicize the importance of the site and lobby for its preservation. In 1993 the site was designated a  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark> National Historic Landmark and in 2006 a  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Monument_%28United_States%29> National Monument.

In 2003 Congress appropriated funds for a memorial at the site and directed redesign of the federal building to allow for this. A design competition attracted more than 60 proposals for a design. The memorial was dedicated in 2007 to commemorate the role of Africans and African Americans in colonial and federal New York City, and in United States history. A visitor center opened in 2010 to provide interpretation of the site and African-American history in New York.

Pete was also an avid DXer, who had been in amateur radio since his youth.  Although he was still studying for his Extra when I spoke with him last, he taught me many practical lessons about the hobby.  His great quote to me and all that were close to him he would say, "Do it right or why bother!"

Pete was a Navy Veteran who served in the Pacific during the Vietnam War.  Pete was an accomplished storyteller and historian which went hand-in-hand.

Pete will be missed by many.

 

 

STAY SAFE AND STAY WELL!


Respectfully,

Thomas K. Lanieri, NU2W

NJ State EMT

Somerset Co. OEM Emergency Support Specialist

Somerset Co. MRC/CERT/CART

Hunterdon County OEM Comm. Tech.

EMS Staging Manager

NWS Skywarn Observer

 

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