SWEET HARMONY ACROSS NEW TRINITY As the ‘Lady of Unity’ Visits the Historic New Trinity Slave Cemetery in Haltom City, Texas. Psalm 133:1

 

SWEET HARMONY ACROSS NEW TRINITY. Psalm 133:1 As the ‘Lady of Unity’ Visits the Historic New Trinity Slave Cemetery in Haltom City, Texas.

Proverbs 31:29 — “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

HALTOM CITY, TX — On Saturday, October 4, 2025, beneath a radiant Texas sky and a soul-stirring autumn breeze, the Spirit of the Lord moved mightily across the sacred grounds of the New Trinity Slave Cemetery in Haltom City, Texas. The atmosphere was filled with faith, unity, and deep gratitude as Ms. Debra Christian of Tyler, Texas—affectionately known as “The Lady of Unity”—arrived to bless the land, honor the ancestors, and uplift the legacy of those who served both God and country with courage, dignity, and conviction.

The Lady of Unity’s visit was far more than ceremonial—it was a sacred encounter, a divine moment where heaven and earth met in harmony. With grace and humility, Ms. Christian came to pay tribute to Ms. Florence Marie Rawls, a World War II WAC volunteer and distinguished member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas. Her presence radiated compassion, courage, and spiritual conviction, reminding all that love and service are the highest forms of faith.

Recently, Ms. Christian made history by donating land to the State of Texas for the creation of a State Veterans Cemetery in East Texas, continuing her family’s multigenerational legacy of faith, freedom, and fellowship. On this memorable day, she was warmly welcomed by members of American Legion Post 655, the Buffalo Soldiers, and the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department—including Commander Chad Page, Officer Kelley Jenkins, Ms. Amy King, Deputy Amber Smith, and Buffalo Soldiers Chaplain Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. Together, they stood shoulder to shoulder in reverent solidarity, offering prayers, salutes, and words of honor in a moving tribute that declared unity not just as an idea, but as a divine destiny.

As Ms. Christian walked the sacred soil of this Texas Historic Cemetery, she moved with reverence—each step a silent prayer over the resting places of more than 488 Black veterans who served their nation from the Civil War through the War on Terror. Their spirits seemed to rise in the gentle wind, whispering stories of endurance, devotion, and faith. Among these heroes rests Dr. R. A. Ransom, Fort Worth’s first Black physician and hospital founder—a man whose healing hands and faithful heart continue to inspire generations.

For more than forty years, American Legion Post 655 has stood as a faithful guardian of these sacred grounds, ensuring that the names, deeds, and dreams of these soldiers are never forgotten. Today, that sacred mission continues through a new generation of partners—the Buffalo Soldiers, New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, and the Ministers Justice Coalition—working hand in hand to transform New Trinity into a living monument of faith, freedom, and fellowship.

This coming Veterans Day 2025 will mark a new chapter of divine remembrance. American Legion Post 655 will receive Congressional Gold Medal Coins recognizing the heroism of the 369th Harlem Hellfighters and the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—two legendary Black military units whose valor, vision, and virtue helped reshape the moral fabric of America. In their honor, the community is uniting to make New Trinity Cemetery a beacon of grace, gratitude, and glory, forever memorializing Ms. Florence Marie Rawls, a Fort Worth native and Congressional Gold Medal recipient whose life continues to inspire faith and unity across generations.

As the day drew to a close, Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., accompanied by Ms. Amy Fox, was led by the Holy Spirit to the original foundation of the New Trinity Methodist Church, built by formerly enslaved believers in the late 1800s. Standing where the pulpit once stood, Pastor Tatum was moved by a divine vision—an Honor Chapel rising from the very soil, built upon the same foundation as a symbol of resurrection, reconciliation, and restoration.

In that sacred moment, it was as if the voices of Reverend Greene Fretwell and his devoted wife Frances Fretwell—who raised $30 in 1889 to purchase two acres for a new church and cemetery—echoed through time:

“Build a place of honor again, and let the light of liberty and freedom shine bright again.”

The story of New Trinity is the story of God’s enduring faithfulness—a living testimony that no life, no labor, and no legacy is ever lost in His divine plan. From the ashes of slavery rose a sanctuary. From the silence of segregation comes a song of unity. And from the forgotten graves of heroes rises a call to remembrance that still declares:

“Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” — Exodus 20:12

This is the first commandment with a promise. — Ephesians 6:2

From the past, through the present, and now toward the promise, we will continue to honor those to whom honor is due.

Through The Lady of Unity, God reminds us that healing begins when we remember—and that honoring our ancestors is not only sacred work, but holy worship. Together, we lift our hearts and voices to proclaim that by remembering their sacrifices, we heal our history, redeem our future, and strengthen the eternal bonds of hope, faith, and humanity that make America truly great.

Written by Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr.

Publisher, Black Texans, Inc.

Pastor, New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas