The Harlem Hellfighters | History
Summary
TLDRThe Harlem Hell Fighters, a regiment of the New York National Guard, faced prejudice and were initially relegated to labor duties in WWI. Despite being given to the French as a 'throwaway' unit, they emerged as one of the most decorated US Army units, challenging racial stereotypes. Notable hero Henry Johnson's bravery earned him French honors but was unrecognized by the US for decades. The regiment's story highlights the paradox of fighting for democracy abroad while facing inequality at home, emphasizing their fight for citizenship rights.
Takeaways
- 🇺🇸 The Harlem Hell Fighters were a regiment of New York National Guardsmen who served in World War I and became one of the most decorated units in the US Army despite facing significant adversity.
- 🏆 They were initially set up to fail and humiliated by their own government, but their perseverance and bravery led to them being highly decorated, showcasing the power of black soldiers in the military.
- 🚫 African-Americans faced prejudice and were initially barred from combat roles, being relegated to labor and support duties, reflecting the racial biases of the time.
- 🇫🇷 The regiment was eventually given to the French army, which was seen as an insult, but they proved their mettle and fought alongside French forces, earning their respect.
- 👊 The story of Henry Johnson highlights individual acts of heroism, where despite being wounded, he fought off a German raid single-handedly, demonstrating exceptional courage.
- 🏅 Johnson was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his bravery, but it took the US government 75 years to recognize his heroism with the Legion of Merit, reflecting racial disparities in recognition.
- 🔍 The US government's memorandum to the French government after their service is a stark reminder of the Jim Crow era, showing an attempt to maintain racial inequality even after their heroic service.
- 💔 The lack of recognition and support for Johnson's injuries upon his return to the US is a poignant example of the neglect faced by these soldiers, leading to his untimely death in poverty.
- 🌟 The Harlem Hell Fighters' story is one of valor and courage, but also of the paradoxical treatment of heroes who fought for democracy abroad while facing inequality at home.
- 🗽 For the Harlem Hell Fighters, fighting in World War I was not just about the war itself; it was about fighting for their rights as citizens in the country they were born in.
- 📚 The story of the Harlem Hell Fighters is an important but often overlooked part of American history, highlighting the struggle for racial equality and the fight for recognition of black soldiers' contributions.
Q & A
Who were the Harlem Hell Fighters?
-The Harlem Hell Fighters were a regiment of New York National Guardsmen who served in the first World War. They were initially set up to fail by their own government but ended up as one of the most decorated units in the entire U.S. Army.
Why were the Harlem Hell Fighters given to the French army?
-The Harlem Hell Fighters were given to the French army as a result of the prejudice and humiliation they faced from their own government, which viewed them as a 'throwaway' unit.
What challenges did African-American soldiers face in joining the U.S. military during World War I?
-African-American soldiers faced the challenge of prejudice, with a prevailing perception that they would not perform well in battle, and they had to overcome this bias to serve in the military.
What was the initial role assigned to the Harlem Hell Fighters in the military?
-Initially, the Harlem Hell Fighters were assigned to labor duty, unloading ships, building latrines, and providing support services, despite their training and readiness to fight.
Who was Henry Johnson and why is he significant?
-Henry Johnson was a remarkable black military hero in U.S. history. He defended a listening post against a German raid with Private NM Roberts, fighting off as many as 30 enemy soldiers, and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his bravery.
Why did it take the U.S. government 75 years to award Henry Johnson the Legion of Merit?
-It took 75 years for the U.S. government to award Henry Johnson the Legion of Merit due to racial discrimination. Had he been white, he likely would have received the Medal of Honor immediately after the war.
What was the paradox faced by the Harlem Hell Fighters upon their return to the United States?
-The paradox faced by the Harlem Hell Fighters was that despite their valor and courage in combat, they returned to a nation that did not honor their sacrifice, with no recognition for their injuries and no assistance from the government.
What was the U.S. government's stance on the Harlem Hell Fighters' recognition after their service?
-The U.S. government sent a memorandum to the French government after the war, essentially implementing Jim Crow laws, instructing not to give the Harlem Hell Fighters the notion that they were equals, fearing they might demand equality upon their return.
How did the Harlem Hell Fighters' service in World War I impact their fight for civil rights?
-The Harlem Hell Fighters' service was about being Americans and serving their country well, which had concrete implications for their fight for civil rights. They were fighting not just for the war but also for the rights to be citizens in the country they were born in.
What was the significance of democracy for African-American soldiers like the Harlem Hell Fighters in 1917?
-For African-American soldiers like the Harlem Hell Fighters in 1917, democracy was not just an abstract concept but a weapon and armor, as they fought for a world safe for democracy and, by extension, for their own rights and equality as citizens.
Outlines
🏆 Triumph Over Adversity: Harlem Hell Fighters' Legacy
The Harlem Hell Fighters were a regiment of the New York National Guard during World War I, initially set up to fail by their own government. Despite humiliation and degradation, they were given to the French army and eventually returned as one of the most decorated units in the U.S. Army. They played a crucial role in proving the capabilities of black soldiers, overcoming prejudice to perform exceptionally on the battlefield. Initially tasked with menial labor duties, they were later recognized for their combat skills. The story of Henry Johnson, a remarkable black military hero, exemplifies their bravery. He fought off a German raid single-handedly, earning the French Croix de Guerre, but it took the U.S. government 75 years to award him the Legion of Merit. The Harlem Hell Fighters' story is a testament to valor and courage, yet they returned to a nation that did not fully honor their sacrifices, reflecting a paradox of unrecognized heroism.
🗽 Fighting for Democracy and Equality: The Harlem Hell Fighters' Struggle
For the Harlem Hell Fighters, fighting in World War I was not just about a lofty ideal of making the world safe for democracy; it was a tangible fight for their rights as citizens. In 1917, they saw their participation in the war as an armor and a weapon to secure their place and rights in the country of their birth. Their struggle was not only against external enemies but also against the internal struggle for racial equality and recognition within their own nation. Despite the valorous efforts and the concrete results of their fight, they faced a return to a society that still had to grapple with the implications of true equality and the honoring of their sacrifices.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Harlem Hell Fighters
💡World War I
💡African-American soldiers
💡Prejudice
💡French army
💡Henry Johnson
💡Jim Crow
💡Legion of Merit
💡Purple Heart
💡Democracy
💡Courage
Highlights
The Harlem Hell Fighters were a regiment of New York National Guardsmen in WWI, set up to fail by their own government.
They were humiliated, degraded, and given to the French army as a throwaway.
Despite the odds, they returned as one of the most decorated units in the US Army.
The Harlem Hell Fighters are one of the most important regiments in American history for their role in WWI.
They helped establish the power of black soldiers in the military to the world.
African-Americans faced significant prejudice and challenges to join the US military at that time.
They had to overcome the prejudice of their own countrymen while also performing on the battlefield.
Initially, they were assigned to labor duty, unloading ships and building latrines.
The men were trained and willing to fight, but were given menial tasks instead.
Being given to the French army was seen as an even greater insult.
Henry Johnson is a remarkable black military hero in US history.
Johnson fought off a German raid with Private NM Roberts, defending their position.
Despite being wounded, Johnson fought off as many as 30 German soldiers single-handedly.
The French awarded him the Croix de Guerre, a great honor.
It took 75 years for the US to award him the Legion of Merit.
Johnson did not receive the recognition he deserved from the US government.
The US government sent a memorandum to the French implementing Jim Crow laws.
After their service, the Harlem Hell Fighters did not receive the recognition or assistance they deserved.
Their story is a testament to valor, courage, and the fight for democracy and equality.
The Harlem Hell Fighters' story is an important part of American history that should be told.
Transcripts
the Harlem Hell Fighters was a regiment
of New York National Guardsmen in the
first world war they were set up to fail
by their own government they were
humiliated degraded uh eventually given
to the French army as a throwaway and
they ended up coming home as one of the
most decorated units in the entire US
Army the Harlem Hell Fighters are one of
the most important regiments in American
history in World War I they helped to
establish to the entire world the power
of black soldiers in the
military it was very difficult at that
time for African-Americans to get into
the United States military because there
was this perception that
African-Americans would not do well in
battle they had to overcome the
Prejudice of their own countrymen and
yet also perform a on the battlefield
like so many units of African-American
descent when they go overseas they're
not sure what they're going to do are
they going to fight his infantry or are
they going to be Ste ofor and load ship
are they going to be labor units and cut
wood and so they're committed to labor
Duty they're unloading ships building
latrines those type of support services
and as you can imagine these men have
been trained and they're willing to
fight they're ready to fight and this is
stressful for them they were finally
given to the French army which in a way
was an even greater insult because in
the first world war when the United
States entered General persing the
commanding officer was very clear that
American forces would not be fed peace
meal into the French and British Army
cuz the French and British wanted
reinforcements and persing said
absolutely not when Americans join this
war they will fight as an American Force
under an American flag led by an
American General dot dot dot except for
the black guys you can have
them
Henry Johnson is perhaps one of the most
remarkable black military heroes in US
history and he found himself in no man's
land with private NM Roberts Manning a
listening post and NM Roberts hears
click click click and he realizes
somebody's cutting the wire it's
potentially a German
raid and so Roberts is passing him
grenades and they line up these grenades
and the Germans actually do come across
the lines Roberts is hurt and now Henry
Johnson is left to defend their position
and to stve off this attack and then he
makes the mistake of jamming a French
cartridge into his American Gun and it
no longer will work and the Germans are
on top of it he then used his rifle like
a club and then he ended up fighting
with a knife against the Kaiser's best
and turned them he's wounded in The Fray
he's struck for example in the foot um
and has a debilitating injury as a
result and he fights them off he says
for what seemed like an hour the Germans
ran shrieking into the night all because
of one
man it's not until the next morning that
people realize what a tremendous act
this was they discover four bodies of
dead German soldiers and they also
realize from the equipment and other
things that are left behind that as many
as 30 may have been involved in this
altercation as soon as he drove off
those Germans the French awarded him
with the quadir a great honor
unfortunately it took about 75 years for
the US government to give him the Legion
of Merit had he been white he would have
walked out of that war with the Medal of
[Music]
Honor what was so shocking to me when I
began to research the story of the hell
Fighters was that after they had
performed so magnificently in combat the
United States government actually sent a
memorandum to the French government
essentially implementing Jim Crow
essentially saying don't give them some
notion that they are equals because we
don't want them taking that notion back
to the United States and demanding
equality when it come back to the United
States he's not awarded the purple heart
there's no notation in his military
record of his injury and so he winds up
not being able to work because of this
injury he doesn't get any kind of
assistance from the from the army or
from the government as a result and he
ends up dying in 1929 pennil so it again
shows the Paradox here's this great
story of Valor and of Courage on the
part of the soldier and ultimately he
comes back to a nation that doesn't
honor that
sacrifice we tend to think we all know
American history so well but the story
of the Harlem Hell Fighters should be
one of the first stories
told it wasn't about killing other
people it was about being Americans and
serving their country well that was the
inclination of the Harlem Hell
Fighters when you are African-American
in
1917 democracy is armor democracy is a
weapon and to fight for a war to make
the world safe for democracy was
something more than just some ethereal
Crusade for the hell Fighters it had
concrete results they were fighting for
the rights to be a citizen of the
country that they were born
in
[Music]
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