The leader of an American Legion post in Hudson, Ohio resigned Friday in the wake of outrage following the decision made either by him or the leader of the post’s auxiliary to mute the microphone of their Memorial Day ceremony keynote speaker who was talking about the origins of holiday stemming from freed black slaves honoring Union dead, USA Today reports.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter was talking about how freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina honored slain Union soldiers by placing flags on their graves weeks after the Civil War ended when his microphone cut out.  Kemter continued giving the speech, projecting his voice using what he called his “Army voice.”  After he finished  mentioning the Black history, the mic worked again.

It was later revealed that either Hudson Lee-Bishop American Legion Post 464 adjudant Jim Garrison or Cindy Suchan, chair of the Memorial Day Parade committee and president of the Hudson American Legion Auxiliary, lowered the volume on the mic.  Garrison was asked to resign his post and his membership in the American Legion.

“The American Legion Department of Ohio does not hold space for members, veterans, or families of veterans who believe that censoring black history is acceptable behavior,” read a Friday statement from the state-level organization.  In its news release, the state Legion said it determined the “censoring” of Kemter’s speech was “pre-meditated and planned by … Garrison and … Suchan.”

It also announced that the charter for the post had been suspended, and it was not expected to be renewed.