Harlem Hellfighters: Rare photographs of the African American regiment renowned for courage despite prejudice, 1917-1918

 

The Hellfighters, an infantry regiment of the New York Army National Guard, were the most famous African American regiment in World War I. The regiment was nicknamed the Black Rattlers. The regiment was given the nickname Men of Bronze (French: Hommes de Bronze) by the French and Hell-fighters (German: Hallenkampfer) by the Germans.

Like their predecessors in the Civil War and successors in the wars that followed, these African American soldiers fought for a country that denied them basic rights—and their bravery stood as a rebuke for racism.

After years of lobbying by civic leaders from Manhattan's famously black neighborhood, Harlem, Governor Charles Whitman eventually formed the all-black unit in 1916, first known as the 15th New York National Guard Regiment, as the US prepared for a possible entry into World War I. I. The regiment was later reformed and renamed as 369th Regiment.

Most of the people on the list actually came from Harlem, which in the 1910s was home to 50,000 of Manhattan's 60,000 African Americans. Others came from Brooklyn, towns upstream of the Hudson River, and New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

When America entered World War I, many African Americans believed that entering the armed forces would help eliminate racial discrimination across the United States. Many felt it was a "God-sent blessing" to prove they deserved respect from their white compatriots through service in the armed forces.

In October 1917 the regiment traveled to Camp Wadsworth in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where it received training in actual combat. Camp Wadsworth was set up similar to the French battlefields. While at Camp Wadsworth he experienced significant racism from local communities and other units.

The 369th was dispatched in late 1917 and joined his brigade upon arrival in France. The unit was transferred to labor service duties instead of combat training.

The US Army decided to hand over the unit to the French Army in April 1918 for the duration of US involvement in the war because many white American soldiers refused to perform combat duty with African-Americans. The men were issued French arms, helmets, belts and pouches, although they did not carry their U.S. arms. continued to wear the uniform.

In France, the 369th were treated as if they were not separate from any other French entity. For the most part, the French did not show hatred towards them and did not racially segregate the 369th.

The French army consisted of several colonial units with non-white personnel from Morocco and Senegal from the beginning. Furthermore, since they faced a shortage of manpower, they were less concerned with race than Americans.

The "Harlem Hellfighters" soon established a reputation for remarkable courage and effectiveness. While abroad, the Hellfighters saw enemy propaganda for them. It claimed that the Germans had done nothing wrong to blacks, and that they should fight the United States, which had oppressed them for years. This was the opposite of the intended effect.

On 25 September 1918, the French Fourth Army attacked in conjunction with the American campaign at Meuse-Argonne. In heavy fighting the 369th turned on good account, although they suffered serious losses. The unit captured the important village of Séchault.

In total, the 369th spent 191 days in the frontline trenches, more than any other US unit. With 1,500 casualties, he suffered the most of any American regiment.

On 13 December 1918, a month after Armistice Day, the French government awarded the Croix de Guerre to 170 individual members of the 369th, and the entire regiment was awarded a Unit Citation. It was pinned to the unit's colors by General Lebouk.

The 369th Regiment "Hellfighters Band" was relied upon not only in combat but also for morale. So by the end of their tour, they had become one of the most famous military bands in all of Europe.

He followed 369th overseas and was highly respected and known for being able to instantly boost morale. While the troops stationed overseas accounted for less than 1% of the 369th Regiment, it accounted for more than 20% of all land assigned to the United States.

During the war, the 369th Regimental Band (under the direction of James Reese Europe) became famous throughout Europe. It introduced a hitherto unknown music called jazz to British, French and other European audiences.

At the end of the war, the 369th returned to New York City, and was paraded through the city on 17 February 1919. The day became a sort of unofficial holiday for all of Harlem. Many black schoolchildren were kicked out of school so that they could participate in the parade.