As world war 1 swept over Europe most Americans viewed the issue as a foreign affair and thought it unnecessary for the country to get involved. Woodrow Wilson was reelected as president in 1916 with the stance of neutrality as a reflection of the nation’s feelings. However in 1917 increased and continued provocation from the Germans compelled Wilson to change his stance on the matter and on April 6th, 1917, the U.S. joined the fight. Although many Americans still didn’t believe in the president's decision to enter the war, black Americans saw it as an opportunity to prove themselves as equal citizens and fight for a true democracy in the states. At the same time, the great migration had started to take place. Wartime conditions forced the American industrial economy to grow, simultaneously cutting off the stream of European immigrants and lessening the pool of cheap laborers. Black Americans working in the south were mostly only able to work as sharecroppers and saw this as an opportunity to leave the south for greener pastures.
Over 350,000 black soldiers served in the U.S. army during world war one, yet many of them were subject to incredible racial discrimination and violence within the army regardless of their patriotic sacrifices. Most soldiers were assigned as support units or even more often as laborers tasked with unloading shipments of supplies, cleaning latrines, or burying the dead. The 369th infantry regiment was an all black regiment that was “loaned” by the U.S. to France. They were one of the few black regiments able to fight at the front. They became famous in Europe first for their marching band, led by James Reese Europe, and then for their achievements on the battlefield. After the war was over America did not take any new steps towards a true democracy or racial equality as the black population had hoped. Instead the opposite seemed to be true. The end of the war and the return of black soldiers only saw an increase in racial violence and white supremacy. Riots stormed all over the country. In Elaine, Arkansas 1919, whites massacred over a hundred black citizens as a response to sharecroppers trying to organize themselves. And the number of lynchings in the south increased. Although the war had not brought on the change in tides that black Americans had hoped for, it did help to create more of a sense of urgency around social justice and equality. That, combined with the great migration, made WW1 a crucial moment in African American history. |
Soldiers of the 369th (15th N.Y.), 1919. Left to right. Front row: Pvt. Ed Williams, Herbert Taylor, Pvt. Leon Fraitor, Pvt. Ralph Hawkins. Back Row: Sgt. H. D. Prinas, Sgt. Dan Storms, Pvt. Joe Williams, Pvt. Alfred Hanley, and Cpl. T. W. Taylor
Sources: http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-world-war-i.html https://armyhistory.org/fighting-for-respect-african-american-soldiers-in-wwi/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/369th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)#369th_Regiment_Marching_Band |