«Breaking News» Thousands of brave African American soldiers march seven miles up Fifth Avenue to Harlem in 1919

Thousands of brave African-American soldiers were honored as they marched seven miles up Fifth Avenue to Harlem, two years after they were barred from farewell parades because 'black was not a color of the rainbow.'

These stunning images show the glorious heroes' welcome they received from white and black Americans as they marched through New York on February 17, 1919 after defeating the Kaiser in WWI.

Originally known as the 15th New York, an African-American regiment in a segregated Army and National Guard, the men of the 369th Infantry Regiment distinguished themselves in combat, fighting with the French Army.

They spent 191 days on the front - the most of any American regiment - and sustained 1,500 casualties - more than any American regiment.

Prior to their departure in 1917 a commander of the 15th asked to march in New York with the 42nd - nicknamed the 'Rainbow Division' - but was told by the commander that 'black was not a color of the rainbow.'

Among those who marched on their return in 1919 was Sgt. Henry Johnson who was awarded the Croix de Guerre for his brave fighting in the notorious Argonne Forest late in the war.

Historians believe Johnson may have been outnumbered by as many as 24 Germans as a raiding party descended on him - he earned himself the nickname 'the Black Death' after he wiped out four of them and sent the rest running. 

The color guard of the 369th Infantry Regiment parades up Fifth Avenue in New York as thousands of men, women and children packed the streets to watch more than 2,000 of the 'Harlem Hellfighters' who distinguished themselves on the battlefields of France during WWI and helped defeat the Kaiser. The New York Times reported: 'The entire regiment was awarded the Croix de Guerre. Under fire for 191 days they never lost a prisoner or a foot of ground.' The paper was full of praise for the men that day, with the headline: 'Fifth Avenue Cheers Negro Veterans'

Originally known as the 15th New York, an African-American regiment in a segregated Army and National Guard, the men of the 369th Infantry Regiment were barred from a farewell parade in 1917 because a company commander of a division, known as the 'Rainbow Division' said 'black was not a color of the rainbow.' On their return the Times wrote: 'The negro soldiers were astonished at the hundreds of thousands who turned out to see them and New Yorkers, in their turn, were mightily impressed by the magnificent appearance of these fighting men'

Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment parade up Fifth Avenue to a heroes' welcome as flags saying 'Welcome Home' fly from the skyscrapers and white and black American cheer them down the street. As they made the seven mile walk members of the public threw the men packs of cigarettes, flowers and sweets. The regiment spent more days than any other American unit on the front-lines with 191 days, and suffered the most casualties with 1,500.

Sgt. Henry Johnson of the 369th became a U.S. Army legend: he killed four Germans and chased away many others after they overran his position. 'They fled in fear as Pvt. William Henry Johnson wielded his bolo knife, hacking away at them after expending his bullets,' an Army article detailed. 'The French and American Soldiers, he served with on the battlefields of France during World War I, were in awe of him following that epic struggle.'

Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment band stand at rest as they wait to march up Fifth Avenue in New York City on February 17, 1919 during the parade. The 369th relied upon their band for morale and by the end of the war their band was one of the most famous in Europe. It introduced Jazz to British and French audiences for the first time.

Children wait to cheer the soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment as they parade up Fifth Avenue. For many of the African-Americans it was the first time they had been permitted to or even felt it appropriate that they should show pride in waving American flags. The New York Sun reported that as they came into Harlem, the crowd and the veterans were overcome with emotion as they recognized each other: 'The fathers and mothers and wives and sweethearts of the men would no longer be denied and they swooped through police lines like water through a sieve'

Members of the regiment wave after returning home to New York. When they turned up in North Carolina before being sent to France, they suffered horrible racist abuse so their commander pushed for them to be sent to Europe as early as possible. The French Army were ambivalent about using black soldiers, recruiting widely from their African colonies during the war, and the Harlem natives were soon brought to the front

A cartoon of Sgt Henry Johnson from the time, it says: 'Sgt. Henry Johnson - American Hero of World War I - An Inspiration To Our Fighting Men Today.' He was finally awarded the Purple Heart in 1996. In 2002, the U.S. military awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross. Previous efforts to secure the Medal of Honor failed, but in 2015 he was posthumously honored with the award.

The 369th New York City Infantry and some of the 370th Infantry, Illinois (another African-American regiment) troops, docking at the Hudson in New York City after their transatlantic crossing in early 1919. Thousands of them would take part in a parade through the city in their honor. 

Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment parade up Fifth Avenue in New York City as members of the police force stand in their honor along with civilians. By this time news of their bravery had hit headlines in the Big Apple. A story in the Saturday Evening Post newspaper drew national attention with an article called 'Young Black Joe' which lauded Sgt. Henry Johnson for his courage in the Argonne Forest

Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment parade up Fifth Avenue in New York holding their rifles with long bayonets attached after they saw some of the most heinous atrocities of war, having been exposed to more fighting than any other American regiment. The fighting in the Argonne Forest was notoriously brutal as the retreating German army embedded themselves in concrete pill boxes in dense forest.

Sgt. Henry Johnson waves to well-wishers, holding flowers and an American flag as his 369th Infantry Regiment march up Fifth Avenue. As his car went up the street, the New York Times reported: 'Shouts of "Oh you Henry Johnson" and "Oh you Black Death," resounded every few feet for seven long miles followed by condolences for the Kaiser's men.' Johnson's Medal of Honor citation, awarded by President Barack Obama in 2015 said: 'Wielding only a knife and gravely wounded himself, Private Johnson continued fighting and took his Bolo knife and stabbed it through an enemy soldier's head. Displaying great courage, Private Johnson held back the enemy force until they retreated.'

Wounded Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment are driven up Fifth Avenue in New York City. The regiment suffered 1,500 casualties, the most of any of the US regiments in WWI after they were exposed to brutal levels of violence on the front-lines. Despite their heroism, the racial segregation of the Jim Crow era persisted into WWII and the blacks did not fight alongside the whites - they were kept apart and often given lowly combat support roles

New York City residents cram the sidewalks, roofs and fire escapes to see the Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment march up Fifth Avenue after their victorious return

Link hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2019/02/15/thousands-of-brave-african-american-soldiers-march-seven-miles-up-fifth-avenue-to-harlem-in-1919/
Main photo article Thousands of brave African-American soldiers were honored as they marched seven miles up Fifth Avenue to Harlem, two years after they were barred from farewell parades because ‘black was not a color of the rainbow.’
These stunning images show the glorious heroes’ welcome they...

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Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca





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