West Point Monument stands in the Elmwood Cemetery and was constructed in 1920. It is the only tribute to African-American soldiers who fought in the Civil War and Spanish-American War. Around 100 African-American veterans are buried in the Cemetery.
The monument features a statue of a solider - Sgt William H. Carney — who was in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment. He was born in Norfolk, and his parents were slaves Sgt Carney was the first black solider to be awarded a Medal of Honor for his role in the battle at Fort Wagner. Although he was badly injured he placed the flag in the fort after leading the charge.
His statue stands on a concrete pillar and has been known as 'Billy Yank'. He is depicted in full uniform holding his rifle. Below the monument are the marble tombstones of the black veterans who lost their lives in the two wars. There is also a historic marker for the monument which is part of the Virginia Civil War Trails which links Civil war sites across the state.
The idea for a monument came from James E. Fuller, who was a city council member. He made the proposal in 1886, however it took many years of private fundraising through concerts and bake sales to raise the necessary funds. Fuller did not live to see the monument in the Cemetery, as he died in 1909. The monument was little known until the early 1970s when a Heritage Day was introduced to honor those who had died through church services and civic celebrations.
