[Tampa Tribute] TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Whenever members of the Judah P. Benjamin Camp of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans don their grey wool uniforms for a demonstration or re-enactment, Al McCray is there among his brothers.He marches in the parades and flies the Confederate flag. He speaks out against the notion that the Confederate battle flag is a symbol of racism and defends "Southern heritage" causes.
Yet McCray is different from the rest of the camp.
While the other members are descendants of soldiers that fought for the south in the Civil War, McCray is an African-American "legionnaire" -- his ancestors were slaves on plantations near his hometown of Manning, South Carolina, just outside of Columbia.
"I understand the true nature of the war, and slavery was not the primary issue," McCray said. "It was an issue of northern aggression and northern imperialism."