Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. became the first African-American general on Aug. 1, 1941. Nearly seven years later, in July 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 integrating the U.S. military services.

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The 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the “Hellfighters from Harlem,” served the longest time in the frontlines of any American regiment and earned the French Croix de Guerre as a unit, as did 171 members. One African-American, Cpl. Freddie Stowers, eventually posthumously received the Medal of Honor. (Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration)

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February is African American History Month

Published Feb. 3, 2015
By Dr. Robert B. Kane
Air University, Director of History

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Throughout the history of the United States, African-Americans have significantly contributed to the rich heritage and culture of this country in all areas of society. Since 1976, each February Americans have celebrated the history and heritage of African-Americans. This special observance began as "Negro History Week" by historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life in 1926. By 1929, 46 of 48 states had distributed literature to their schools through state departments of education.

In February 1969, Kent State University expanded the special celebration to the entire month. In 1976, the U.S. government officially recognized February as Black History Month to honor the accomplishments of African Americans in every area of endeavor throughout American history. The theme for this year's observance is "A Century of Black Life, History and Culture."

African-Americans have especially been present in U.S. armed forces from the American Revolution to the present. After the fighting began in 1775, the British offered to free any African-American slave who served with them, leading Gen. George Washington and the Continental Congress to offer the same proposal. As a result, several thousand African-Americans served as Continental soldiers, sailors and Marines.

During the War of 1812, most states rejected attempts of African-Americans to join state militias. However, 500 African-Americans fought at New Orleans in late December 1814 and several hundred with the Navy.

At the start of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, wary of offending the slave-holding border states, prohibited African-Americans from enlisting. However, as the need for soldiers grew by late 1862 the U.S. government began enlisting African-Americans. By April 1865 more than 200,000 had served in the Union Army and Navy and 25 of them had received the Medal of Honor.

During the Frontier Wars, African-Americans served in four segregated regiments, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers," in the Far West. They fought American-Indians and outlaws, garrisoned forts and protected settlers. By 1900, 13 had received the Medal of Honor.

On Feb.15, 1898, 22 African-American sailors were among the 260 American sailors who died when the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, Cuba. The Buffalo Soldiers fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, including alongside Col. Theodore Roosevelt and his "Rough Riders" during the battle of San Juan Hill. Five African-Americans earned the Medal of Honor during this short war.

African-American soldiers also accompanied the Punitive Expedition, commanded by then Maj. John J. Pershing into Mexico, 1915-1917, in a vain attempt to capture the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa. Pershing, as a first lieutenant, had previously commanded a troop of the 10th Cavalry Regiment, one of the original Buffalo Soldiers.

During World War I more than 367,000 African-Americans were among the 4.5 million Americans sent to Europe, of which 42,000 saw combat. The 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the "Hellfighters from Harlem," served the longest time in the frontlines of any American regiment and earned the French Croix de Guerre as a unit, as did 171 members. One African-American, Cpl. Freddie Stowers, eventually posthumously received the Medal of Honor.

By 1939 the Army had only 3,600 soldiers in the segregated Buffalo Soldier regiments out of 360,000 men and the Navy had several thousand, mostly as mess stewards. The Marine Corps and the Air Corps had none.

Between December 1941 and September 1945 about 1.3 million African-Americans served in all military services. More than 95 percent of African-Americans soldiers served in combat support units and always in segregated units. The best known were the truck companies, collectively known as the "Red Ball Express," that transported supplies, food and ammunition 24/7 to the frontline troops after the July 1944 breakout from the Normandy beachhead.

The reactivated, all African-American, 92nd Infantry Division fought in northern Italy from August 1944 until April 1945. The 93rd, activated in May 1942, saw limited combat in the Southwest Pacific. In late December 1944, after the German breakthrough in the Ardennes, some 4,500 African-Americans served as combat soldiers in segregated platoons assigned to white companies. One of them, Staff Sgt. Eddie Carter Jr. posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 1997.

Between 1942 and late 1945 the Navy had a total of 150,000 African-Americans. They served at shore duty installations or harbor or coastal vessels and as mess stewards aboard the larger ships. By September 1945 the Navy commissioned only one African-American officer and African-Americans fully manned only one naval vessel. In the same period the Marine Corps enlisted 17,000 African-Americans, assigned mostly to supply and depot units.

The most famous African-American unit of World War II was the 332nd Fighter Group manned by the Tuskegee Airmen. The 99th Fighter Squadron, formed on March 22, 1941, entered combat in North Africa. By May 1945 the 332nd Fighter Group, consisting of the 99th, 100th, 301st and the 302nd Fighter Squadrons, had established an outstanding combat record.

The Army Air Forces had enlisted 145,000 African-Americans. In many places, they not only had to deal with the prejudices of white commanders and white enlisted personnel but also the prejudice of the local communities. The 4th Aviation Battalion served at Maxwell Field, living in facilities that are now part of the Federal Prison Camp.

The African-American men and women who had served in the U.S. military services during the war performed well in leadership as well as technical and service positions, demonstrating the illogic and inefficiency of the segregation policies in place at the time.

After 1945 policies, racial prejudices of some white base commanders and few promotion and career-field opportunities for African-Americans in the military produced several base disorders. Investigators squarely placed the underlying cause of the disorders on the military's segregation policy. As a result, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 in July 1948 integrating the U.S. military services.

Prominent African-American military individuals include Army Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr., who became the first African-American general on Aug. 1, 1941; his son Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., a Tuskegee Airman and the first U.S. Air Force general officer; Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James, who became the first Air Force full general; Army Gen. Colin L. Powel, who became the first and only African-American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Chief Master Sgt. Thomas N. Barnes, the first and only African-American chief master sergeant of the Air Force.

Today, about 17 percent of the members of all U.S. armed forces are African-Americans, roughly the same percentage of African-Americans who are of military enlistment age.