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African American Military History |
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African American Military History
African American Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients
First African American Recipients
Civil War
Exclusion
Indian Wars
Interim
Spanish American War
Korean War
World War 1
World War II
Vietnam War
Buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Colored Troops in the Civil War
Infamous 54th Infantry Regiment
Black Soldiers in the Civil War
Links for investigation African Americans have served as underappreciated heroes in every war and countless 'unofficial' skirmishes and conflicts throughout the history of our nation -- and even in colonial days. There has scarcely been a battle when America has not been served by the valor and sacrifice of what poets have called "the darker brother." Like the Kipling poems of England's Victorian "empire" period, America also has a story of forgotten heroes, and a public that seems barely aware of the courage and honor of, in some cases, gallantry almost beyond words.
Kipling wrote of the unappreciated 'Tommy Atkins' - despised or held scarcely above outright contempt - UNTIL the nation needed him. Then he was the hero, the saviour, the man who stood in the gap, who came to his nation's rescue in its our of need. Another Kipling poem describes the despised 'Gunga Din' the brave dark fighters who shed their blood, gave their lives, on behalf of an empire that owed them better. And for Kipling, the white professional soldiers could only say in awe, "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din."
But in America's case, it's Black warriors were not foreign, they were home born and every bit as American as their brother warriors of lighter hue. At long last, America is waking to the glory of "the darker brother" on the field of battle.
The original core of this document was created by as a homework aid for his classes. A note to researchers of "Buffalo Soldiers" -- the Buffalo Soldiers were African Americans used in the U.S. war to protect settlers not only against brigands but also (primarily) against certain Native Americans. The web has numerous sites on the Buffalo Soldiers but please be aware, while the Buffalo Soldiers spoke American English, and tended to think somewhat similar to the "white" Americans, history reveals that they also shared the prejudices against socalled marauding "red men." You should be aware of this.
The first Buffalo Soldiers were the 9th and 10th Cavalries, formed by the U.S. Army in 1866 and mostly composed of freed slaves and Civil War vets. The patrolled the Mexican border, participated in theSpanish American War , and in the U.S. expedition to the Philippines. While it is regrettable that black Americans should have participated in military actions adversely affecting native peoples, students should remember that not all the reprisals and measures taken by the government were unprovoked, nor were all of them carried out with the ruthlessness we sometimes hear of. Buffalo soldiers and black cowboys were merely one factor in the opening of the West, and a certain toughness went with the territory. It was a job somebody had to do, and the oppressive aspects, while not excusable whatsoever, were indeed one part of that history. The Buffalo Soldiers were disbanded in the 1950's when President Harry Truman integrated the armed forces. A television movie called "Buffalo Soldiers " starring Danny Glover was made in 1997 and may be available to students on video. It aired on TNT. Set in New Mexico Territory in 1880, it is a fictionalized account of the conflicts between the Buffalo Soldiers and the Native Americans they were ordered to destroy.
The Fight for Equal Rights:
Black Soldiers in the Civil War Comprehensive Sites - no single time period African American Warriors - Best site I've found to start with; it covers Black participation in most U.S. military actions.
Texts in African American History - In their own words: everyone from Revolutionary War soldiers to Malcolm X.
African Americans in the Military - historical perspective :: covering all time-frames and wars
All-American Success Story - widespread African American career triumph emerging in the United States Armed Services.
REAL African American Heroes - dedicated to all African Americans who over the years have made a difference. Focus is military history, Medal of Honor, Distinctions of Valor and heroism. Also notable black Astronauts, and others.
General Colin Powell - The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs exhorts American heroes of today. American Revolutionary Period American Revolution . About 7,000 African Americans served in the Continental Army, mostly in integrated units, some in all-black combat units. The first American of any race to die in the American Revolution was a black man, Crispus Attucks, who held opinions equally as radical as Sam Adams and James Otis, and was anything but diplomatic in confronting the British "peace-keepers." This "Boston Massacre, as it came to be known, inflamed public opinion all up and down the colonies, leading (in scarcely a decade) to war, the Declaration of Independence, and freedom from British control. There were other notable valiant African-Americans, including, for one, the hero of Bunker Hill, Peter Salem, who in a feat little short of supernatural, single-handedly killed the British commander (Pitcairn).
Proclamation for Freedom: African Americans in the Revolution
Royal Ethiopian Regiment - The British Royal Governor of Virginia issued a declaration in 1775 that any enslaved black person or indentured white person "or others" (probably referring to Native American slaves) who could bear arms and would agree to fight to preserve British rule over the American colonies would immediately be freed. Enough black men volunteered to create several units. They were promised farms as payment, which were never given. Most famous of these soldiers is Thomas Peters, who later went on to found a town in Sierra Leone.
Blacks in the American Revolution - The Revolution gave blacks a chance to assert their drive for freedom. While the Revolution did not emancipate them, it united them in their belief of freedom and laid the foundation for the future, distant thought that might be.
African Americans in Early U.S. Military History - Black heroes have participated in military conflicts since the colonial period. In colonial conflicts and the War for Independence, black men served in militia units and the Continental Army. [Bryan Rommel-Ruiz]
Crispus Attucks - First hero of the Revolution. On the night of 5 March 1770 a merchant seaman and escaped slave became the first hero of the Revolution. Attucks undertook to be, as John Adams calls him, a "hero of the night," leading a mini-army of Bostonians in confronting the British troops. Unarmed but for rocks, sticks, and epithets, they followed the inspired Attucks right to the soldiers. Attucks had, in Adams' words, "hardiness enough to fall in upon them, and with one [bare] hand took hold of a bayonet, and with the other, knocked the man down." The panicked British shot him down, along with four of his followers. Another Crispus Attucks resource.
The Brothers' War (Civil War) but not the first war in which "brothers" fought
In regular service for the United States of America, over 200,000 African Americans served, with 38,000 recorded as killed. Total participation on behalf of flag and country was easily over a quarter of a million. The valor and effectiveness of these men in the final year and a half of the war was so stunning that Lincoln was compelled to say they were the pivotal decisive factor in victory. As if to underscore Lincoln's realization of the potent performance of the black fighting man, the confederacy in the closing weeks of the war, passed a law calling for the training of an even larger number of BLACK SOLDIERS --- (300,000). This law was signed by Jefferson Davis on March 13, 1865.
In fact, of regular recorded engagements, Union blacks fought in 449 battles, almost entirely as members of all-black units. Altogether, there were 166 all-black units -- 145 regiments of infantry, 7 cavalry regiments, 12 heavy artillery regiments, 1 light artillery regiment, and 1 regiment of light artillery. While there were VERY few black officers in these regiments over all, the fact is that there were 75 Blacks who obtained commissions, including 8 doctors. There were 22 African-Americans winning the Medal of Honor.
The African American Civil War Memorial in Boston - An explanation of the Black Heritage Trail in Boston and the Black Civil War memorial to the famous 54th Civil War regiment. The 54th Massachusetts Infantry is best known to modern students as the subject of the movie Glory.
John Brown, courage and character, valor and sacrifice - John Brown went boldly to the gallows of shame while a smug Robert E. Lee looked on. Like the Europeans who later defied Hitler to attempt to rescue innocent lives, John Brown dared everything in order to lift the stain on America's soul --- the stain of slavery.
National Park Service African-American Civil War Sites - Exactly what it says it is! Nicely illustrated with portraits of Black soldiers and political leaders of the Civil War, and good explanations of important units and battlefields.
Ride to Liberty - the song of a people's history - when sheer survival becomes a story of the loftiest heroism. Here are the makings of an epic for all time. Here are ingredients for a glorious story not yet told. A grand epic of world historical significance no less inspiring than the Exodus Of Moses, and surely ranking with Homer's tales, the Bhagavad-Gita of the Mahbhrata, or the Sumerian Gilgamesh.
Powhatan Beaty - courageous Union hero - at last receiving recognition in his native Virginia. He loved America foremost, even fighting against the land of his birth and his former friends and superiors. His heroism and gallantry won accolades of admiration from the testimony of the white fellow soldiers who witnessed it. And grudging acknowledgment from confederates.
 Between Two Fires: Black Soldiers in the Civil War by Joyce Hansen Published by: Watts Franklin, 1993. Black Americans were caught in the throes of a national angst, a battle for the heart and soul of the Union itself, testing the meanings of nation, identity, liberty, and survival. Their own role was played out in the very core of the conflict.
Subduing a violent land -- the west from Appomatox to the closing of the American frontier
Indian Wars. Buffalo Soldiers. 1866-1890. Use of black soldiers was widespread in the west and numerous engagements demonstrated the valor and toughness of the African American fighters. Colonel Grierson insisted to his superiors that the identifyng term "Colored" - as originally prefixed before the title of the regiment - be dropped. He said it was demeaning and unnecessary, and ultimately, he prevailed. Two all-black cavalry regiments saw considerable use (the 9th and 10th); And two all-black infantry regiments were also much used (the 24th and 25th). Stuck with a thankless job, it fell to these Black freedmen to garrison forts, quell disturbances, and generally keep the peace, not infrequently being called to put lives on the line in the name of the United States government. During these wars in the west, heroes in black regiments won a total of twenty Medals of Honor. In 1875 one of these was Pompey Factor.
Portraits in Black-The Buffalo Soldiers - (see note above)
Black History (Underground RR, Buffalo Soliders, etc) Lest We Forget - Bennie McRae's Tribute of Honor to a worthy breed of hero
Films about Native Americans and Black Americans in US History
Black Cowboys, Old Cowtown - Wichita honors some sturdy men
Pompey Factor, Medal of Honor in 1875 , had fought earlier with Negro Seminole Indians "safe commander" - he distinguished himself on a campaign in Texas against the hostile Kiowas and Comanches. The Medal of Honor citation for his gallantry in 1875 cites an incident in which Factor, leading three other Indian Scouts at the "Eagle's Nest" at the Pecos River, participated in a charge of four Buffalo Soldiers against 25 hostile enemy, risking his life above and beyond the call of duty.
Mabel Keaton Staupers - No time for Prejudice :: Black Nurse Integrates Army (scroll down)
Spanish American War Spanish American War . Black participation continued in the War with Spain both in Cuba and the Philippines. And again the valor and gallantry of African American fighting men was again on display. Sixteen regiments of black volunteers were recruited; four saw combat. Black heroes took part in the siege of Santiago and others assisted Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders in the charge on San Juan Hill. Especially notable Black participation occurred at engagements ranging from El Caney to Corrizal. Five black Americans won Congressional Medals of Honor in this "splendid little war," as TR a bit naively called it.
A Valiant Black Soldier, San Juan Hill - a print from NY Library Collection
A perfect hailstorm of bullets - A Black Sergeant Remembers the Battle of San Juan Hill (Frank Pullen)
The Negro in the Regular Army - Oswald Garrison Villard (etext sourced)
World War I The Great War. A war in which the contributions of black heroes were badly needed, but the obstacles of racism were thrown in their paths. About 367,000 African Americans served in the American Armed Forces in this War, and of that number 100,000 served in France. The 93rd Division served side by side with the French and numerous awards were won, much to the consternation of certain white American generals. In fact, the first two Americans to win the coveted Croix de Guerre France's highest decoration) were black heroes Sgt Henry Johnson and Pvt Needham Roberts. In addition, an astounding 171 African Americans were awarded the French Legion of Honor.
World War I and Post War society - The story of America's Black heroes in the Great War, they were true sons of freedom.
Vignettes and glimpses - Black soldiers and the sacrifices in the first world war. Focus on the 369th infantry.
World War II World War II. Over a million African Americans served in the armed forces. all-black fighter and bomber AAF units and infantry divisions gave distinguished service. Numerous acts of heroism were recorded, and though not all duly honored, countless others have come to light. In fact, in the very opening hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor, no hero shone with greater brilliance than the valiant Dorrie Miller a messman on the USS Arizona who despite incredible risk and later injuries to himself, manned a machine gun and downed a confirmed four Jap war planes, and perhaps more. (By 1954, the US Armed Forces were completely desegregated.)
Afro-American - This is Our War - African-American newspaper presents a collection of its correspondents' coverage of WWII. Learn how black soldiers were treated in the war.
Lest We Forget - African Americans in World War II - Tribute to African American history features a section devoted to blacks in WWII. Find articles and links to related resources.
World War II and the Integration of the Armed Services - On 26 July 1948, President Harry S Truman signed Executive Order 9981, which set in motion the process resulting in the formal end of segregation of the US military in 1954.
Blacks of the USS Mason - During World War II only one US Navy warship with an all African American crew saw combat. Overcoming racism at home and rough seas in the Atlantic, a dramatic story forgotten no more.
- the Nation's highest military honor. Here's a list of African Americans on whom this medal was bestowed.
World War II National Memorial - It is time to honor a generation's sacrifice.
555th Paratroopers - Triple Nickel This was a segregated unit of paratroopers during WW II. Called the "Triple Nickel," some of them wore charms made of three buffalo nickels -- once again, buffalo soldiers! Due to their color, they were denied the opportunity to win medals and promotions in the European theater. Instead, they were assigned to highly dangerous "fire jumping" duty, putting out fires in the U.S. west. At the time, it was suspected that these dangerous brush and forest fires were being set by Japanese saboteurs. After the war, the 555th was broken up and the men were distributed among white paratroop units. See the websites below for more and different information. If you're doing a web search, search "Triple Nickel" AND "Triple Nickle," since there's a lot of confusion out there as to the preferred spelling of nickel.
Triple Nickle: The 555th Parachute Infantry Association, Inc. - (wonderful logo)
555th Paratroopers -- still on a mission
Triple Nickel - Legacy of the 555th
Smoke Jumpers - the 555th Paratroop Battalion of World War II
Reminiscences 555th Paratroop Btn - one soldier shares with reporter
555th Parachute Infantry - Military history resource includes a detailed summary of the actions of the first all-black paratrooper company.
Triple Nickle - An Airborne Legacy (the 555th)
Black Paratrooper Remembers the 505th & 555th - (news story, very good!)
The Day The Color Barrier Fell - 555th Integrated The Army : (news story, very good!)
Tuskegee Airmen Red Tail - 99th Fighter Squadron - Lonely Eagles
Chris Onyika's Tuskegee Tribute -- The Red Tail Heroes : does America care?
Tuskegee Airmen - by Afro-American Newspaper :: The Sky was the limit
Tuskegee Airmen - Discusses the flying pioneers who formed the all-African American 99th Pursuit Squadron. Find unit details, key members, and photos.
Tuskegee - Outlines the history and contributions of the first African-Americans to fly combat missions. Includes a time-line.
Black American Becomes a Fighting Airman - Resource provides a brief overview of the Tuskegee Flyers, also known as the "Lonely Eagles." Also peruse their combat record.
Tuskegee Airmen - The Black Redtail Angels - Review this tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen that includes a large collection of photographs and links to related books.
Black Patriots - Tuskeegee Airmen - African-American history resource features a brief overview of the decorated Air Force squadron that never lost a bomber they escorted.
Red Tail Project - Tuskegee Airmen - Resource devoted to the Red Tail Mustang features a detailed history of the 99th Fighter Squadron.
 Wings of Honor - the story of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II.
The Montford Point Story Montford Point Marines - Discusses 20,000 African-Americans who served in the segregated WWII US Marine Corps. Study photos, documents, and personal stories.
The 336th Infantry 366th Infantry Regiment - All-African American unit fought through the Italian campaign in 1944-45. Offers assorted articles, photos, and updates about members.
General Benjamin O. Davis Davis, Benjamin - Aviation History - History resource features a reprint from Air Force Magazine that details the life and distinguished career of this African-American pilot.
Korean Conflict Korean War . Approximately 3,100 African Americans lost their lives in the Korean conflict. Pfc William H. Thompson was awarded the first CMH for action 6 Aug 1950, in which he single handedly manned machine gun nest to enable retreat to safety, giving his life to save his comrades.
The notable African American involvement began right at the onset of hostilities. Just seventeen days after Soviet-armed communist soldiers invaded the Korean peninsula, the men of the 24th (all-black) infantry reached Korea from Japan, and immediately began a dramatic series of blows, forcing North Korean invaders back in one strategic defeat after another. Then on 22 July 1950, world headlines proclaimed the historic news that the first major victory of Korea was gained by the all-Black 24th infantry in the battle of Yech'on.
Black Combat Units in Korea - excellent site by David K. Carlisle.
Korea then and now : memoir of a black soldier - a small child born in the darkness & set opon a path in the middle of the forest (much more). By Curtis "Kojo" Morrow.
Vietnam War Of infantry in Southeast Asia, black troops represented 15%. In Marine units, blacks were nearly 9% of the total.
In elite combat units, the NY Times reported, one of every four combat troops is black.
The first Congressional Medal of Honor recipient was Milton Oliver, who gave his life to save his buddies, throwing himself on a grenade. He was only 19 years old. In the posthumous ceremony honoring him with the nation's highest medal for military valor, President Johnson cited Oliver for "conspicuous gallantry" above and beyond the call of duty.
Black Heroes in Southeast Asia - recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor in Vietnam
General Colin L. Powell Colin Powell - Before the Republican National Convention, 1996. A personal and moving statement of faith set in a political context. Powell invokes the ideals of family, faith, and loyalty which sustained him throughout his own career of service.
Colin Powell - Powell as President? Who would consider such a thing? Here's one American who felt strongly that the General would have made an astonishingly good choice. Not only one of America's true heroes, but with near stratospheric ratings in the "trust" department, Powell is the Conscience of the Republican Party.
Colin Powell - Before the Republican National Convention for the second time in a row as, yes, the Keynote Speaker, Colin Powell more than anyone else except Bush himself DEFINED the Philadelphia moment. If America's promise, as seen at Philadelphia, is kept --- it will have to be said that Powell, perhaps above all, set the tone of it.
Colin Powell - "Bought with their blood, the Freedoms We Enjoy." Colin Powell Salutes African American heroes and patriots throughout the history of our nation. An eloquent exhortation from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Services.
General Francis X. Taylor General Francis X. Taylor - President George W. Bush has appointed Air Force General Taylor to be the State Department's Ambassador at Large and Co-ordinator for Counter-terrorism. We wish him godspeed in the wake of the disaster of September 11. God Bless America.
Bibliography of Print Resources Offline bibliography provided by Professor Cunnea to help students locate books via interlibrary loan if not on the shelves of their school or public libraries. Students who can afford the cost and the delay may purchase some of these books from online sources such as Barnes and Noble, or use a search feature to locate additional titles on this topic. - Susie King Taylor.
 Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33rd United States Colored Troop. One edition of this book by a former slave was printed in 1902. This Barnes and Noble reprint might be worth a try. - Noah Andre Trudeau.
 Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865 . This 1998 book received glowing reviews for its detailed recounting of the difficulty of getting the Union to use Black troops; the recruitment of escaped slaves; and the automatic death penalty applied to Black prisoners of war by the Confederates. There were over 100 regiments of Black Americans by the end of the war, engaging approximately 180,000 Black men in over 449 battles. (I do not know if the book covers the Confederate use of Black Americans in the rebel army). - Charity Adams Earley.
 One Woman's Army: A Black Officer Remembers the WAC . (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1989). - Martin Binkin, and Mark J. Eitelberg.
 Blacks and the Military . Brookings Institution Press, 1982. - Frank N. Schubert.
 Black Valor: Buffalo Soldiers and the Medal of Honor, 1870-1898 . There were nearly two dozen African American recipients of the highest U.S. decoration for military valor just in the 9th and 10th cavalry. This book is available from Barnes and Noble. Shipping - quick turn-around time. - Michael Lee Lanning.
 The African-American Soldier: From Crispus Attucks to Colin Powell . The author , Lieutenant Colonel Lanning, is an experienced military writer and retired army officer, provides a good overview of African Americans' military service to their country, a service that started with the American Revolution. - Michael L. Cooper. Hell Fighters: African American Soldiers in World War I. (Lodestar, 1997). This book concentrates on the all-black 369th Regiment of the U.S. Army, which served on the Western Front longer than any other American unit --191 days. None were captured, but more than half died in combat.
- Gerald Astor.
 The Right to Fight: A History of African Americans in the Military . An all-encompassing chronicle of African-Americans' struggles to serve in the armed forces of the US, by popular military historian Gerald Astor. - Edwin Dorn.
 Who Defends America? Race, Sex, and Class in the Armed Forces. (Washington, DC: Joint Center for Political Studies, 1989). - Jack Foner. Blacks and the Military in American History. (New York: Praeger, 1974).
- Jesse Johnson. Black Women in the Armed Forces: 1942 -- 1974. (Hampton, VA: Jesse Johnson, 1974). Being privately published, this book might be tough to locate. Students should ask their librarian to check library systems in Virginia.
- James Paradis.
 Strike the Blow for Freedom: The 6th United States Colored Infantry in the Civil War . During the "brothers war" many African Americans were eager to strike a blow for freedom long before American public opinion was ready to support the fighting efforts of the "Sable Arm." This is the story of the 6th Regiment of United States Colored Infantry and their war against prejudice as well as the Confederacy. Organized and trained in Philadelphia, the soldiers of the United States Colored Infantry had to combat both subtle and direct forms of prejudice against the idea of armed black men fighting for the Union cause. - Brenda L. Moore.
 To Serve My Country, to Serve My Race: The Story of the Only African American WACs Stationed Overseas during World War II . (New York: New York University, 1996). The story of the 6888th Women's Army Corps, the first unit of African American women to serve overseas. They were stationed in France and Britain. The book is a wonderful resource, with a history of black units prior to the 6888th, interviews, photos, a roster, and bibliography. - Gail Lumet Buckley.
 American Patriots: The Story of Blacks in the Military, from the Revolution to Desert Storm . New York : Random House, c2001. FDR used to say that Americanism was a matter of the mind and heart, not of race and ancestry. With photographs throughout and dozens of original interviews with veterans, American Patriots is a tribute to the black American men and women who fought and often gave their lives in the service of that ideal. - Edward Van Zile Scott
 The Unwept: Black American Soldiers and the Spanish-American War . Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders got the glory, but much of the U.S. success was due to the valor of the black veteran troops who were pulled from their western outposts to fight in Cuba. How they were treated is a shocking story. - Graham Smith. When Jim Crow Met John Bull: Black American Soldiers in World War II Britain. (New York: St. Martin's, 1988).
- Bernard C. Nalty.
 Strength for the Fight: A History of Black Americans in the Military (The Free Press, 1989). Nalty tells of the heroic deeds and humiliating obstacles confronting black fighting forces and shows how black protest, civil unrest, military manpower needs, war, and peace have interacted over 200 years to create an integrated, yet racially troubled, American military establishment. - Dudley Taylor Cornish.
 The Sable Arm: Black Troops in the Union Army The Sable Arm was the first work to fully chronicle the remarkable story of the nearly 180,000 black troops who served in the Union army. This work paved the way for the exploration of the black military experience in other wars. - James Henry Gooding.
 On the Altar of Freedom : A Black Soldier's Civil War Letters from the Front . Here is a vivid, unforgettable portrait of the Civil War as seen through the eloquent letters written by a black soldier in the Massachusetts 54th Regiment--the renowned regiment featured in the highly-acclaimed movie Glory - Tom Willard.
Wings of Honor . The tale of "Adrian Samuel Sharps" and one of the airmen in the famed 99th pursuit squadron. This is another installment in Willard's Black Sabre Chronicles about a family of African American heroes of U.S. military history. - Kwame Anthony Appiah.
 Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience .
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