US History

The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)

African Americans

This collection uses primary sources to explore the role of African American soldiers in World War I.

A photograph of African American soldiers with French children in France, ca. 1915-1920.

A photograph of an African American woman, Kathryn M. Johnson, in France posing with African American soldiers, ca. 1918-1920.

Kathryn M. Johnson coauthored a book with Addie W. Hunton called *Two Colored Women with the American Expeditionary Forces* (1920), a memoir of the two women’s experiences working with the YMCA to serve black troops overseas during World War I.


A photograph of African American soldiers in France, some playing board games, ca. 1914-1918.

A glass plate slide of African American soldiers in Georgia, ca. 1918.

The caption reads “Colored Soldier Reading Aloud to Illiterate Mates, Gordon, GA.”

An excerpt from a 1921 memoir by Horace Pippin that provides a 1918 journal entry from his time fighting in France.

Just before this entry, Pippin was involved in the military offensive campaign of September 26, 1918. Pippin was shot in the right shoulder and arm. He was immobilized, hungry, and thirsty, lying in or near No Man’s Land. Pippin later lost mobility in his right arm but went on to become a painter of national renown.

Transcript: 


...hot. The machine guns were in trees as well as in bushes and in Houses and any thing they could get a machine gun in they had it there.  wimen [sic] as well as men using a machine gun we were faceing [sic] another hill. The snipers were thick all so, I seen a machine gun next I got him.  My Budy [sic] and I were after another one.  Both of us were in the same shall hole.  I were  lookeing [sic] for another hole that would put me in view of him.  after I seen one, I said to my comrad, you go one way and I’ll go the other, and one of us can get him.  for we could not see him, from where we were at, for he were back of a rock.  Now it were to get him in sight and to do that we hat [sic] to take a chance of one to get it.  Both of us left the shell hole, at the same 

[page 53]

time. I got near the shell hole that I had picked out when he let me have it. I went Down in the shell hole.  He cliped [sic] my neck and got me throu [sic] my shoulder and right arm. yet  I had nothing to eait [sic] yet and I only had a little water in my canteen.  I Began to plug up my wounds when my Budy [sic] came to me and did what he could for me. then he tole [sic] me that he got the German and the gun. I were laying on my Back. I thought I could get up But I could not do so.  I shook hands with him and I never seen him [???].  Now the shells were comeing [sic] close to me. Piceses [sic] of shell would come in near me some times. Then the German sniper kepted after me all the Day.  his Bullets would clip the shell hole that hell [sic] me this were 8 o’clock in the morning. some time that after noon

[page 54]

Some French swipers came By. they look for Germen that is left back so he seen me layeing [sic] there.  When he did so, he stopped to say somthing to me. But he never got it out, for just then a bullet past throu his head and he sank on me. I seen him comeing on But I could not move. I were just that weeke. So I hat [sic] to take him.  I were glad to get his water and all so [sic] bread.  I took my left hand and I got some coffee. after some hird time geteing [sic] it from him. After that I felt good and I trided to get up a gan [sic].  But I were to week [sic] to do so.  Night were coming on. And it began to Rain. then I tried to get the Blanked [sic] from my dead comrad [sic]. That I could not do. And I could not get him of off [sic] me.  The rain came more and more ontell [sic] I were in water

[page 55]

Yet I were growing weeker and weeker all the time and I went to sleep. I cant say how long I slep [sic] but two boys came and I woke up. They took the French man of off me and then took me out of the shell hole for some Distens [sic] where there were more wounded ones.  I were left there the rest of the night.  Every time I would get in a sleep I would be woken up by the French troops goeing to the line. On tell next morning for French took me in to a Dugout and then to another on tell they found a [???] then he did something. I do not no [sic] any more that night. When I woke up, it were Day.  then I were caryed [sic] out of the Dugout I seen then that it were full of shot up men like my self some wirst [sic] then I.  I layed out there for some time in the rain waiting for my tirn [sic] to be taken Down


A letter from First Lieutenant James W. Alston to H. H. Brimley on November 1, 1918 about being only black officer in a hotel in France. 

James William Alston was a First Lieutenant in the 372nd Infantry, an all-black regiment, during World War I. Alston was born in Wake County, NC on January 16, 1876. In 1907, he started working as a janitor and messenger for the State Museum, later the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. During the war, Alston wrote several letters to H. H. Brimley, who was white. Brimley was a curator and the first director of the State Museum.

Transcript:

Nov. 1st 1918 
My Dear Mr. Brimley: 
You will probably think that I am a long time getting back to the front, but the [illegible] here is the boss and won't let me go, but promised this morning that I could go in about ten days. My wound is all healed and with the exception of a very little stiffness I am as good as ever. There is so much talk of peace I want to get back and have another try at Fritz before the finish. I think I have pretty well

[page 2]

evened the score with him but I want to give him some more for good measure. Fritz can fight like the very devil when he is under cover and has the most men, but can't stand the Yankee steel and these Yankees, white and black sure love to use their bayonet whenever they can get near enough to him. I am in the southern part of France in the town of Vichy and quartered in one ------- 

[page 3]

of the best hotels in the town. There are about one hundred officers at the hotel and I the only colored one so you know I am lonesome. I was as hungry as a dog the first night that I was here but walking in the dinning room seeing about one hundred white officer and no colored officers I lost my appetite - but it came back by morning and has stayed with since. I am treated fine by all the officers but most of them say I am

[page 4]

a damn fool for wanting to get back to the front. I met Mr Thos. F Ryan's son he is a Sgt. in the Medical Corps he is sure one fine man, and is crazy to go to the front but the Col. won't let him. I wish you would send me Mr Garland Jones, and Bob's address so if any time I am near their outfit I can look them up. I see lots of people from the state but none from Raleigh

[page 5]

but prehaps [sic] I will have luck enough to see some one before I come [crossed out in MS: go] back to the good old U.S.A. There is no news except Fritz is catching the very devil. My best regards to Mrs Brimley, Mr & Mrs Adickes [?] and all friends 

Yours very respectfully 
James W Alston 
372 R. I. U. S. 
S.P. 179 France

A letter from First Lieutenant James W. Alston to H. H. Brimley praising black soldiers, September 3, 1918.

James William Alston was a First Lieutenant in the 372nd Infantry, an all-black regiment, during World War I. Alston was born in Wake County, NC on January 16, 1876. In 1907, he started working as a janitor and messenger for the State Museum, later the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. During the war, Alston wrote several letters to H. H. Brimley, who was white. Brimley was a curator and the first director of the State Museum.

Transcript:

S.P. 179 France 
Sep. [crossed out in MS: Aug] 3, 1918 

My Dear Mr Brimley 
I sure was glad to get your letter and to know that all is well in the good old North State. Everything is moveing [sic] fine over here so far and I think we have Fritz on the run, thanks to the good work of the people back home, and I hope we can keep him on the go until we can get a strangle holt [hold] on him, and then [underlined in MS] God help him. I want to see some of the German towns completely destroyed as I have seen the French. 

[page 2]

He sure has put [crossed out in MS: what] the part of France that he held on the bumb [bomb?], but the French will repay him in a not far distant date. France is one continaus[continuous] camp and the troops are coming in all the time and every one moves forward all the time, and no one gets to the rear except the wounded, even the Eugmcus [?] in the rear of the line are constantly deserting [?] to go to the front, so much so that when they are given leave they go to the front, so you see that the whole movement is constantly towards Berlin. 
I have seen none of the boys from Raleigh as yet

[page 3]

but hope to when we all get together near Berlin. 
I am glad to know that my people are doing their bit to win the war, they sure make good soldiers and seem to take delight in sticking Fritz with a bayonet or clubbing him with the butt end of a rifle, but their main weapon is the hand grenade. I would send you some relics [?] for the Museum but there is a limited amount of transportation here and I am afraid that it would never reach you, but perhaps before I come back I can get something for you. 

[page 4]

I wish if you write again that you would send me Bobs adress [address] as I would like to write to him and go to see him if I ever get close to his outfit. We have a captain Swift of Waynesville N.C. in our outfit he is commanding the Mehi [?] Gun. 
I have been commanding my company since July 30th and it is some job believe me. I took command while in the front line and have been in the front line all the month of August except 8 days. I hope to get a new Captain soon and if it is a white Capt. Let him be from

[page 5]

the south is my prayer. 
There is some friction between the officers over him but wherever it is known to exist the one in fault is promptly relieved, and wherever it exist it is generaly [generally] among the ones from the north. The officers from the south that I have met are good fellows one and all as a rule. 
I am writing to the new comdr. [commander] to-day asking for special duty as patrol officer and I hope I can get it as it affords a fellow a better chance for promotion and excitement all his own and then I have

[page 6]

a score to pay Fritz for leaving a scar on my face, and I want to get him where I can fix him to my own taste [?]. 
My best regards to Mrs Brimley, Mr & Mrs Adiekes [?] and all my friends, and write when you have the time to 

yours very respectfully 
James W Alston 
372 R. J. N. [?] S. 
S.P. 179 France

A letter from First Lieutenant James W. Alston to H. H. Brimley on October 6, 1918 about being shot by a machine gun in the war.

James William Alston was a First Lieutenant in the 372nd Infantry, an all-black regiment, during World War I. Alston was born in Wake County, NC on January 16, 1876. In 1907, he started working as a janitor and messenger for the State Museum, later the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. During the war, Alston wrote several letters to H. H. Brimley, who was white. Brimley was a curator and the first director of the State Museum.

Transcript:

Oct 6 / 1918 

My Dear Mr Brimley 
I have not had the time to write before since the last drive started not even to my wife, and I don't suppose I would be writing now if it was not for the fact that I am sitting up in a hospital bed with a machine gun bullett through my right shouder. 

[page 2]

I have a French Edition of the New York Herald of this date stating that the Huns want peace, so you can see that I must write to celebrate as the nurse won't let me get up. 

This last drive is something fine from Switzerland to the sea, and every where Fritz is doomed. In my little sector we were the reserve at the commencement but on the third day we took the line, and it was just as General Sherman said "Hell." but the good work had to go on, so on we drove on the heels of Fritz, - passing him back through the lines as fast as we overtook him, killing with bayonets those who manned the machine gun nest. The French 75 high guns racing to keep up

[page 3]

 had a hard time and my company ran two days ahead of our rolling kitchen and the men had to subsist on about 1/2 iron ration but what did the [they] care so long as they had the bosh on the run, all they want is to end the war because they have a horror of the winter over here in the trenches and you know my people are at their best in the good old summer time. 
I will be back with my -------------- 

[page 4]

company in about a month I am told but I hate to stay away that long, and I believe every man here wants to get back and help finish a job that we think is near finished. 
The prisoners are a poor looking lot and don't seem to have any fight left in them, they surrender readily where there are no officers to prevent them

[page 5]

This is about all the news I have and it is no secret. My regards to all my friends in the Dept. especially Jim and tell him to keep praying and we will keep fighting. 

Write when you can to yours very respectfully 
Lt. James W Alston 
372 R. I. [?] U. S. 
American Exp Force

An excerpt from *Complete History of the Colored Soldiers in the World War*, ca. 1919, discussing Sergeant Henry Johnson.

For more information about Henry Johnson, see:

[http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/educators/lessonplan/african-american-history-honored-as-heroes/](http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/educators/lessonplan/african-american-history-honored-as-heroes/) - a History Detectives video clip about a Henry Johnson poster.

[http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/johnson/](http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/johnson/ ) - a U. S. army website for Henry Johnson posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor in 2015.

A 2004 proclamation from Spartanburg, SC, honoring the 369th regiment Harlem Hellfighters. 

 In 1917, upon hearing that black soldiers would be training in his city, the mayor of Spartanburg, J. F. Floyd said the following, “I was sorry to learn that the Fifteenth Regiment has been ordered here, for with their Northern ideas about race equality, they will probably expect to be treated like white men. I can say right here that they will not be treated as anything except Negroes. This thing is like waving a red flag in the face of a bull, something that can’t be done without trouble.” 

An excerpt from *Colored Soldiers*, a 1923 work of fiction by W. Irwin MacIntyre about black soldiers during the war.

Questions

1. Based on the photographs in this set, how was life in France different from life in the US at the same time? Why do you think each of these photographs was taken? How is racism and segregation represented in the [photograph of African American soldiers playing board games](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/840) and the [glass plate slide](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/841)? 
2. What do the letters of James W. Alston tell us about the racism that African American soldiers faced in World War I as well as the patriotism they felt?
3. Using the excerpt from his [1921 memoir](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/842), describe Horace Pippin’s experiences in the trenches in World War I. Compare his experiences to that of James W. Alston.
4. Using the excerpt from [*Complete History of the Colored Soldiers in the World War*](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/846), explain the battle actions of Henry Johnson. Why did it take until June 2015 for him to be awarded the US Congressional Medal of Honor? 
5. According to the [proclamation](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/847), African American soldiers were unable to complete their assignment at Camp Wadsworth. Why do you think they did not complete their assignment? Why is the reason not mentioned in this document?
6. How does the [fictional account in *Colored Soldiers*](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/848) perpetuate stereotypes about African Americans? How does the account reveal tensions facing African American World War I veterans? 


Activity

1. Ask students to read the excerpt from [Pippin’s 1921 memoir](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/842), the excerpt from [*Complete History of the Colored Soldiers in the World War*](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/846), and the [proclamation](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/847), then write a persuasive essay about whether racism or patriotism played the larger role in motivating African Americans to fight in World War I.
2. Ask students to examine the [photograph of African American soldiers with French children](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/838) and then tell a fictional account of events that led to the photograph.
3. Ask students to research and write a short essay on the only African American soldiers to earn US Congressional Medal of Honors for their service in World War I. The soldiers are Freddie Stowers and Henry Johnson. The students should use the excerpt from [*Complete History of the Colored Soldiers in the World War*](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/african-american-soldiers-in-world-war-i/sources/846) as a starting point for their research on Henry Johnson. More information on Freddie Stowers can be found in resources from [the US Army](http://www.army.mil/article/9075/medal-of-honor-recognition-long-overdue) and more on Henry Johnson can be found in resources from [CBS News](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wwi-medal-of-honor-henry-johnson-family-not-related/).

Teaching Guide: Exploring African American Soldiers in World War I

Resources

1. [Patriotic Labor: America during World War I](http://dp.la/exhibitions/exhibits/show/america-world-war-i) online exhibit, Digital Public Library of America.
2. “[African Americans in World War I](http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-world-war-i.html),” by Chad Williams, Africana Age: African and African Diasporan Transformations in the 20th century, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library. 
3. “[World War I and Postwar Society](https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart7.html),” African American Odyssey, Library of Congress. 
4. “[Teaching with Documents: Photographs of the 369th Infantry and African Americans during World War I](https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/369th-infantry/),” National Archives. 

Overview

African American soldiers are often rendered invisible in the traditional historical narrative of United States involvement in World War I. But hundreds of thousands of African Americans fought on the western front to make the world “safe for democracy,” in President Woodrow Wilson’s phrase. These soldiers came from a range of US locations—cities like New York or Washington, DC as well as the countryside of the Carolinas and the Deep South. They were sources of inspiration for many in the African American community, but evoked fear among some white Americans. This primary source set emphasizes the experiences of African American doughboys during the war while also highlighting how they were perceived by white Americans. Use the sources to determine how racism and patriotism shaped the experiences of the African American soldiers.

English

African American Soldiers in World War I

african-american-soldiers-world-war-i_04a_f9c831857bff65ef5bdae2286e2987dd.jpg

Courtesy of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Illinois Digital Heritage Hub.

“African-American Serviceman Reading Aloud,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/6fe1dbd399a3e53dc3380340b511aa29.


A glass plate slide of African American soldiers in Georgia, ca. 1918.

Cite this item

Tips for Students

Item 4 of 11 in the Primary Source Set African American Soldiers in World War I