Wiki History: Blacks in the Military 1

Wiki History!

Welcome back to robinlofton.com for another Wiki History Lecture!

November is the month that Americans remember and honor its veterans—the brave men and women who fought for freedom and liberty both within the country and around the world. As of 2013, there are nearly 20 million veterans living in the United States. Of that number, more than 2 million veterans are African American.

African Americans have fought in every war beginning with the Revolutionary War.

Civil War: 200,000 African Americans served.

World War I: 375,000 African Americans served

World War II: 1 million African Americans served

I won’t continue through all the wars but I’m sure that you send the trend!

Indeed, the African American presence in the military was always strong and is continuing to grow stronger. There were difficulties, particularly racial discrimination, there were victories and triumphs, there have been heroes (lots of heroes!) and yes, there have been defeats. The history is long and varied so I think that we should get started discussing this fascinating but often forgotten history.

This is African American history at its finest! But you might be asking yourself: what can I learn from it?

Great question.

Here’s the answer: Courage. Determination. Honor.

Great qualities! Everyone can benefit from these qualities—whether military or civilian, male or female, rich or poor, Black or white. Everyone.

And these stories about African Americans in the military--their bravery to face obstacles like racism, their determination to fight for their country and their freedom, their courage under fire whether it came from Nazis in 1944, from the Vietcong in 1969 or from other American soldiers—these stories will inspire you to transcend any hardships that might be in your own life. So, let’s get begin at the beginning.

Did you know that African Americans fought in the Revolutionary War? Well, you can believe it because both free and enslaved Africans fought on both sides of the war (at least in the beginning). You might wonder why, in the 1770s) any Black person, especially slaves, would fight for the American Patriots or for the British Loyalists. There were, of course, many different reasons but most boiled down to fighting for their freedom or believing in the republican principles of liberty and equality. Many enslaved Blacks (on both sides) were promised their freedom. During that time, blacks served as soldiers, spies, guides and messengers. Yet free and enslaved Africans were not initially welcomed to join the Americans. In fact, General George Washington fervently refused to recruit Blacks into the Continental Army and actually took steps to keep them out. In fact, General Washington, in 1775, issued an order to army recruiters, ordering them not to enroll "any deserter from the Ministerial army, nor any stroller, negro or vagabond". That was not his highest moment. But he eventually was forced to accept Blacks into the army when the British general granted freedom to all slaves willing to serve the British forces.

Still, there were many Blacks who served with distinction and honor. Crispus Attucks (hopefully, this is a familiar name), a runaway slave was one of the first people killed by the British in 1770, which was a major step towards Revolution. That is a long story, which I won’t go into right now, but he died in the Boston Massacre and was viewed as a martyr by both whites and Blacks at the time and still is today as well. In fact, a Crispus Attucks Monument was erected in Boston.

Peter Salem was also a man that served with honor and distinction for the Americans during the Revolution. He was a true hero at the battle of Bunker Hill. Salem was a slave whose owner allowed him to join the militiamen. At the famous Battle of Bunker Hill, the Americans were just about to surrender when Salem stepped forward and shot and killed the commander of the British forces. After that heroic feat, the Americans gained renewed energy and eventually won that important battle. Because of his courage under fire, Salem was put on a postage stamp, but not until in 1968. Better late than never!

In total, more than 5,000 Blacks fought on the American side during the Revolutionary War. There is no denying that African Americans made substantial contributions to the victory that created the United States of America.

There are a lot more wars and experiences to discuss so let’s move on. This is the beginning of a long and continuing story of African Americans serving in the armed forces.

But since this is a wiki history lecture, we will not discuss the African American presence every U.S. war—that would take a very long time—so we will focus on the important or recurrent themes that marked the military experience for African Americans. And we would be remiss in failing to mention a few special people and military units who distinguished themselves in combat.

One prevailing theme (briefly touched upon in the previous section) is racial discrimination in and by the military. Even as Crispus Attucks was fighting (and dying) for the American cause, racial discrimination was a major factor in determining who could fight for freedom and, indeed, who was “entitled” to freedom in the American colonies. Despite the promises made and the rights proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, which said that “all men are created equal,” Africans were not included in these republican principles. (Remember that Crispus Attucks was, himself, an escaped slave.)

Racial discrimination has been rampant in the military since the formation of the Continental Army in the 1700s. Although African Americans have fought in every major war in America, they were not afforded the rights or given the duties that white soldiers were readily granted. The discrimination and bias were expressed in different ways.

1. Segregation

From the American Revolution through the mid-20th century wars, the military endorsed racial segregation. In other words, Blacks and Whites were kept separate in living, eating, training, and even combat situations. The war department felt that racial segregation in the military just as in civilian life was the most logical and efficient way to manage the presence of Blacks in the army.

In World War II, for example, more than 1 million African Americans served in the military. However, Blacks were not permitted to join the air force or marines. And the segregated regiments (called “colored regiments”) were not treated equally. African American units often had inferior accommodations, food, and training. Still, by World War II, African American enlistment in the military was at an all-time high because Blacks wanted to serve their country and fight the growing threat from Nazi War Machine. In 1948, President Truman ended segregation in the military. Of course, segregation remained the norm throughout in civilian life.

2. Assignments

Another form of racial discrimination in the military was with the assignments that were given to African Americans. One type of assignment was simply support. For example, African Americans in the Navy could serve only as cooks or waiters. This extended to the rest of the military. White soldiers and officers did not want to train or give arms to Black soldiers. Others felt that Blacks were unable to learn and were intellectual inferior to Whites so they could only serve to support the white soldiers or as general labor to the military.

Later, when Blacks were allowed to participate in combat, they were given the most dangerous assignments that often resulted in high levels of casualties. During the Civil War, for example, the Black death toll was 40 percent higher than the death toll for whites. And this is an interesting story. In World War I, when the Americans arrived in Europe, France requested soldiers for its armies. American General Pershing was reluctant to give U.S. soldiers to the French army but he finally agreed to give the Black soldiers. In response, the French army assigned the Black soldiers to the hardest, dirtiest, and most dangerous assignments. Casualties were enormous. And this problem was also noted in the Vietnam War, in which 40 percent of African Americans draftees were given combat assignments and suffered twice the casualty rate of white military draftees.

Racial bias was also evident in the military draft and recruitment. Again, the Vietnam War serves as an example. Remember the draft was used to obtain most of the soldiers for that war. Of course, there were exceptions to the draft and many of them favored white Americans. For example, deferments for college attendance and certain civilian occupations favored whites over Blacks. In fact, 41 percent of draftees were African American though Blacks accounted for only 12 percent of the population. The casualty rates of African Americans constituted nearly 20 percent of all combat deaths during the Vietnam War. I just want to add that the Vietnam War was the first war in which conscientious objectors had a strong voice, the most famous of which was Muhammad Ali. He refused to enlist (despite receiving his draft notice) and was stripped of his boxing titles but, after a lengthy appeal, the Supreme Court overturned his criminal conviction and reinstated his titles.

Just briefly, I want to mention that the numbers of African American officers was very low until recently. And Black officers could not command white units and faced heavy discrimination. Black officers were not eligible for certain honors and awards. However, the number of Black officers has been steadily increasing since the Persian Gulf Wars. Today, 13 percent of officers are African Americans. This part of the story is a success and a great place to stop for today—on a high note.

Yes, there is so much more that can be said about racial discrimination in the military but this is just a short introduction. But we are still focusing on Blacks in the military. In the next podcast, we’re going to examine Black heroes in the armed forces and special units like the Tuskegee Airmen. Many people have heard of them and that’s great. But we will also examine other special units. Have you heard of the Harlem Hellfights? Well, you’re gonna love these guys—they were tough, patriotic, and Black!

Stay tuned for their stories. In the third and final podcast about Blacks in the military, we will examine a few of the best movies about African Americans in the military.

Let’s remember our veterans this month and every month. Let’s never forget their commitment and sacrifices so that we all could be free and safe. Not all were heroes. Not all were patriots. And not all came home. But their memory endures.

Because of my appreciation for their great service, I am dedicating these wiki history podcasts about Blacks in the military to a Black veterans organization called the National Association of Black Veterans or nabvets. They are an excellent resource for Black veterans and their families. They provide assistance with filing claims, have lots of information for veterans, and provide chaplain services. They have offices around the United States. Or you can visit their website at www.nabvets.org. For every person who listens to this (or any of my November wiki history podcasts, I will donate $1 to the National Association of Black Veterans Association. It is an honor and privilege to support this organization and I hope that you will too. They also have incredible volunteer opportunities. Remember www.nabvets.org.

Remember our veterans: Honor. Courage. Determination. Great goals for us all. And please visit robinlofton.com. Leave your questions or comments. And I would love to hear from our veterans or women and men who are currently serving in the military. You are a great inspiration.

See you next time to hear about the individual black heroes and groups of heroes that have served the U.S. with distinction.

And a special thanks to Jon Knoxx who composed the music for this podcast.

See you next time at robinlofton.com!