As a very special segment of Fort Bayard's 149th Birthday Celebration on August 22, Florence Bowers will share her personal search for John Daniel who was recruited in Louiville, Kentucky circa 1866. Kentucky was the last state in which African American Troops were recruited. The 125th U.S Colored Troops Infantry served in the New Mexico Territory from 1866 through 1867, under Lt. Col. Alexander Duncan and was the last of the regiments organized by the Union to be disbanded.

At 11 AM, in the Fort Bayard Theater and before the 7 PM concert - lecture by Jane Voss and Hoyle Osborne, Florence Bowers will share her four-year search exploring maternal and paternal links, and military records for John Daniel who was an important member of her husband Dr. Joseph H. Bowers' family tree. John Daniel was the connection to Fort Bayard's establishment in 1866.

Ms. Bowers, a resident of Albuquerque for 30 years, graduated from the historiuc black college, Johnson C Smith University, in Charlotte, North Carolina. She and Dr. Bowers have been married over 43 yers and have four grandchildren. Florence is a devoted community leader with 47 years of service to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and currently is Chair of the Arts and Letters Program.

For more information about the 149th Birthday Celebration of Fort Bayard, please call 575-388-4477 or 575-956-3294.