History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With MexicoSweeney, William Allison
History
History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico
Sweeney, William Allison
African American soldiers; African Americans -- History -- 1877-1964; World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, African American
"Throughout my tenure here I have keenly appreciated the prompt and
cordial cooperation of the Provost Marshall General's office with
that particular section of the office of the Secretary of War
especially referred to herein. The Provost Marshall General's
office has carefully investigated and has furnished full and
complete reports in each and every complaint or case referred to it
for attention, involving discrimination, race prejudice, erroneous
classification of draftees, etc., and has rectified these
complaints whenever it was found upon investigation that there was
just ground for same. Especially in the matter of applying and
carrying out the selective service regulations, the Provost
Marshall General's office has kept a watchful eye upon certain
local exemption boards which seemed disinclined to treat the Negro
draftees on the same basis as other Americans subject to the draft
law. It is an actual fact that in a number of instances where
flagrant violations have occurred in the application of the draft
law, to Negro men in certain sections of the country, local
exemption boards have been removed bodily and new boards have been
appointed to supplant them. In several instances these new boards
so appointed have been ordered by the Provost Marshall General to
reclassify colored men who had been unlawfully conscripted into the
army or who had been wrongfully classified; as a result of this
action hundreds of colored men have had their complaints remedied
and have been properly reclassified."
It is also valuable to note the opinion of this representative of his
race as to the results of the negroes' participation in the war:
"In a word, I believe the Negro's participation in the war, his
eagerness to serve, and his great courage and demonstrated valor
across the seas, have given him a new idea of Americanism and
likewise have given to the white people of our country a new idea
of his citizenship, his real character and capabilities, and his
100 per cent Americanism. Incidentally the Negro has been helped in
many ways physically and mentally and has been made into an even
more satisfactory asset to the nation."
Of the Negroes inducted into service, nearly all were assigned to some
department of the army or to special work in connection with the army.
Of the few who were permitted to enlist, a very small percentage was
permitted to enlist in the Navy. Of this small number only a few were
allowed the regular training and opportunities of combatants, to the
DISCREDIT of our nation, not as yet, grown to that moral vision and all
around greatness, NOT to be small.
CHAPTER XIII
ROSTER OF NEGRO OFFICERS.
COMMISSIONED AT FORT DES MOINES--ONLY EXCLUSIVE NEGRO TRAINING
CAMP--MOSTLY FROM CIVILIAN LIFE--NAMES, RANK AND RESIDENCE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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