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| Courtesy: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/ 369th-infantry/images/arriving-home.gif |
In many ways, this new movement was directly connected to the return of the “Harlem Hellfighters,” the US Army’s 369th Infantry who fought under the French Flag in World War I. This unit returned home as war heroes, having fought the longest on the front lines as well as the longest time in continuous combat. They had also been the first to cross the Rhine River during the Allied offensive, and 500 of its members had won the French “War Cross” award.
When they returned home, they were greeted by uninviting MP’s who were under orders to not salute any 369th soldiers, either white or black. They were not invited to the Victory Parade of 1919. Therefore, they had their own parade, which splashed headlines across the country.
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| Courtesy: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvF47m6aLPV2XKvTqSFBU9fbrpIg3-tyZE68i_Xcg-To8xB6fRyctbVdDyJUxXytAfiqH6ARW9d4oF_NGWMSllicnmH2X11GA-cqat57ZcGaE9kqyP3LUjwo3SIxwfN2fVF4ePQoYgYrHn/s320/WWI+369th+parade.+narrow.jpg&iAdd caption |
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New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs: Military History. (2006, March 30). Black
americans in the US military from the american revolution to the korean war: World war one.
Retrieved from: http://dmna.state.ny/us/historic/articles/blacksmilitary/blacksmiltaryww1.htm
