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When Free Men Shall Stand

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”1624″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1500491847944{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1500490924430{margin: 0px !important;border-width: 0px !important;padding: 0px !important;}”]By Maj. Rick Breitenfeldt, Maryland National Guard Public Affairs Office[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]As the city of Baltimore celebrates the 200th Anniversary of the National Anthem, the Maryland National Guard is commemorating the occasion with the grand opening of its War of 1812 museum display.

The new display “When Free Men Shall Stand” was unveiled to the public during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the 5th Regiment Armory on Sept. 3, 2014.

Joe Balkoski, historian and author of several books on the history of the Maryland National Guard said the new display shows the unchanging nature of the American defense of the homeland; a mission familiar to the Maryland National Guard.

“It was a perfect storm,” said Balkoski. “The 200th anniversary of the defense of Baltimore was a perfect time for people to say ‘hey this is our history; we saved our city from complete destruction; it changed all our lives; and we’re living that
legacy today.’”

The museum exhibit was funded through a series of generous donations and grants from many military organizations and supporters of the Maryland National Guard and is the culmination of three decades of dedicated work from retired Soldiers and Airmen from the Maryland National Guard.

“We started out with a grain of sand and due to the dedication of so many people we kept it going when we had no money. Finally, now, we have reached a point where people understand that the history is of such profound value to young Soldiers and to the families that it’s an integral part of our story,” said Balkowski.

The interactive display focuses on the real life stories of both British and American Soldiers from the war of 1812 and portrays the time period through their personal experiences.

“These people were living and breathing people just like you and me and when it’s 200 years ago you get the general impression that they weren’t really. They were some iconic figures from the past that you couldn’t touch or you didn’t realize that they were living breathing humans,” said Balkowski. “I want people to understand it was the present for them; it was the present moment in time and it was a crisis like this country had never seen before.”

Maryland Military Historical Society president H Steven Blum described the 1812 exhibit as magnificent. “It’s as good as I’ve seen anywhere,” said Blum. This exhibit really tells a story.”

“The nation had its back up against a wall and we want people to know that the people who saved our city were just like you and me,” said Balkowski. “They were just like members of the National Guard today.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html css=”.vc_custom_1500491103139{margin: 0px !important;border-width: 0px !important;padding: 0px !important;}”]JTNDYSUyMGRhdGEtZmxpY2tyLWVtYmVkJTNEJTIydHJ1ZSUyMiUyMGRhdGEtaGVhZGVyJTNEJTIydHJ1ZSUyMiUyMCUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5mbGlja3IuY29tJTJGcGhvdG9zJTJGbWRuZyUyRmFsYnVtcyUyRjcyMTU3NjQ2NzkyNTI3MTIwJTIyJTIwdGl0bGUlM0QlMjJXaGVuJTIwRnJlZSUyME1lbiUyMFNoYWxsJTIwU3RhbmQlMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmZhcm02LnN0YXRpY2ZsaWNrci5jb20lMkY1NTY5JTJGMTQ5NDYxNzkwMzlfM2NkNjk5MjFkMF9iLmpwZyUyMiUyMHdpZHRoJTNEJTIyMTAyNCUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjY4MCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMldoZW4lMjBGcmVlJTIwTWVuJTIwU2hhbGwlMjBTdGFuZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMiUyRiUyRmVtYmVkci5mbGlja3IuY29tJTJGYXNzZXRzJTJGY2xpZW50LWNvZGUuanMlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]