Black History Month: Who was Rockford's George Washington Groomer?
How much do you know about Rockford's Black history? In celebration and recognition of Black History Month, the Rockford Register Star has partnered with the Rockford Public Library's Local History Room to bring our readers a local Black history fact of the day.
Visit rrstar.com or the Rockford Register Star newspaper each day throughout the month of February to read about the people, places and events that played significant roles in shaping the rich fabric of Rockford's Black history.
A veteran of the renowned 102nd United States Colored Infantry Regiment during the Civil War, George Washington Groomer settled in Rockford after the war, raising a family and working as a laborer.
At the age of 49 in 1887, he passed away and was laid to rest in Cedar Bluff Cemetery without a headstone. To this day, his final resting place remains without one.
Want to learn more about George Washington Groomer? Visit the Rockford Public Library's Local History Room at rockfordpubliclibrary.org/local-history or in person at the Hart Interim Library, 214 N. Church St.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Black History Month: Who was Rockford's George Washington Groomer?
