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 THE REBELLION, THE INDIAN WARS ON THE FRONTIER, THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR, AND THE LATE IMBROGLIO WITH MEXICO.

BY

W. ALLISON SWEENEY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR OF THE CHICAGO DEFENDER.

PROFUSELY AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED

1919

THIS HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN NEGRO IN THE GREAT WORLD WAR IS REINFORCED BY THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT INCLUDING TRIBUTES FROM FRENCH AND AMERICAN COMMANDERS

SPOKEN AND WRITTEN WORDS BY

J.E. MORELAND INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY Y.M.C.A.

ROBERT SENGSTACKE ABBOTT EDITOR CHICAGO DEFENDER

RALPH TYLER EX-THIRD AUDITOR THE NAVY

JULIUS ROSENWALD PHILANTHROPIST

COLONEL CHARLES YOUNG UNITED STATES ARMY

WILLIS O. TYLER MEMBER LOS ANGELES BAR

CAPT. R.P. ROOTS VETERAN SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

* * * * *

WITH A COMPLETE SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE 370th "OLD EIGHTH" IN THE WORLD WAR FROM THE COUNTRY'S CALL TO THE DAY OF ITS MUSTERING OUT

BY CAPT. JOHN H. PATTON, ADJUTANT

HISTORY

OF THE

AMERICAN NEGRO

IN THE

GREAT WORLD WAR

CONTENTS

Chapter I. SPIRITUAL EMANCIPATION OF NATIONS.

THE MARCH OF CIVILIZATION—WORLD SHOCKS TO STIR THE WOULD HEART—FALSE DOCTRINES OF THE HUN—THE IRON HAND CONCEALED—THE WORLD BEGINS TO AWAKEN—GERMAN DESIGNS REVEALED—RUMBLINGS IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM—TRAGEDY THAT HASTENED THE DAY—TOLSTOY'S PROPHECY—VINDICATION OF NEGRO FAITH IN PROMISES OF THE LORD—DAWN OF FREEDOM FOR ALL RACES

Chapter II. HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

LIKENED TO BELSHAZZER—THE KAISER'S FEASTS—IN HIS HEART BARBARIC PRIDE OF THE POTENTATES OF OLD—GERMAN MADNESS FOR WAR—INSOLENT DEMANDS—FORTY-EIGHT HOURS TO PREVENT A WORLD WAR—COMMENT OF STATESMEN AND LEADERS—THE WAR STARTS—ITALY BREAKS HER ALLIANCE—GERMANIC POWERS WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING—SPIRIT WINS OVER MATERIALISM—CIVILIZATION'S LAMP DIMMED BUT NOT DARKENED

Chapter III. MILITARISM AND AUTOCRACY DOOMED.

GERMANY'S MACHINE—HER SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVOR TO MOLD SOLDIERS—INFLUENCE ON THOUGHT AND LIVES OF THE PEOPLE—MILITARISM IN THE HOME—THE STATUS OF WOMAN—FALSE THEORIES AND FALSE GODS—THE SYSTEM ORDAINED TO PERISH—WAR'S SHOCKS—AMERICA INCLINES TO NEUTRALITY—GERMAN AND FRENCH TREATMENT OF NEUTRALS CONTRASTED—EXPERIENCES OF AMERICANS ABROAD AND ENROUTE HOME—STATUE OF LIBERTY TAKES ON NEW BEAUTY—BLOOD OF NEGRO AND WHITE TO FLOW

Chapter IV. AWAKENING OF AMERICA.

PRESIDENT CLINGS TO NEUTRALITY—MONROE DOCTRINE AND WASHINGTON'S WARNING—GERMAN CRIMES AND GERMAN VICTORIES—CARDINAL MERCIER'S LETTER—MILITARY OPERATIONS—FIRST SUBMARINE ACTIVITIES—THE LUSITANIA OUTRAGE—EXCHANGE OF NOTES—UNITED STATES AROUSED—ROLE OF PASSIVE ONLOOKER BECOMES IRKSOME—FIRST MODIFICATION OF PRINCIPLES OF WASHINGTON AND MONROE—OUR DESTINY LOOMS

Chapter V. HUNS SWEEPING WESTWARD.

TOWARD SHORES OF ATLANTIC—SPREAD RUIN AND DEVASTATION—CAPITALS OF CIVILIZATION ALARMED—ACTIVITIES OF SPIES—APOLOGIES AND LIES—GERMAN ARMS WINNING—GAIN TIME TO FORGE NEW WEAPONS—FEW VICTORIES FOR ALLIES—ROUMANIA CRUSHED—INCIDENT OF U-53

Chapter VI. THE HOUR AND THE MAN.

A BEACON AMONG THE YEARS—TRYING PERIOD FOR PRESIDENT WILSON—GERMANY CONTINUES DILATORY TACTICS—PEACE EFFORTS FAIL—ALL HONORABLE MEANS EXHAUSTED—PATIENCE CEASES TO BE A VIRTUE—ENEMY ABANDONS ALL SUBTERFUGES—UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE—GERMAN INTRIGUES WITH MEXICO—THE ZIMMERMAN NOTE—AMERICA SEIZES THE SWORD—WAR IS DECLARED—PERSHING GOES ABROAD—FIRST TROOPS SAIL—WAR MEASURES—WAR OPERATIONS

Chapter VII. NEGROES RESPOND TO THE CALL.

SWIFT AND UNHALTING ARRAY—FEW PERMITTED TO VOLUNTEER—ONLY NATIONAL GUARD ACCEPTED—NO NEW UNITS FORMED—SELECTIVE DRAFT THEIR OPPORTUNITY—PARTIAL DIVISION OF GUARDSMEN—COMPLETE DIVISION OF SELECTIVES—MANY IN TRAINING—ENTER MANY BRANCHES OF SERVICE—NEGRO NURSES AUTHORIZED—NEGRO Y.M.C.A. WORKERS—NEGRO WAR CORRESPONDENT—NEGRO ASSISTANT TO SECRETARY OF WAR—TRAINING CAMP FOR NEGRO OFFICERS FIRST TIME IN ARTILLERY—COMPLETE RACIAL SEGREGATION

Chapter VIII. RECRUDESCENCE OF SOUTH'S INTOLERANCE.

CONFRONTED BY RACIAL PREJUDICE—SPLENDID ATTITUDE OF NEGRO SHAMED IT—KEPT OUT OF NAVY—ONLY ONE PERCENT OF NAVY PERSONNEL NEGROES—MODIFIED MARINES CONTEMPLATED—FEW HAVE PETTY OFFICERS' GRADES—SEPARATE SHIPS PROPOSED—NEGRO EFFICIENCY IN NAVY—MATERIAL FOR "BLACK SHIPS"—NAVY OPENS DOOR TO NEGRO MECHANICS

Chapter IX. PREVIOUS WARS IN WHICH NEGRO FIGURED.

SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD—CRISPUS ATTUCKS—SLAVE LEADS SONS OF FREEDOM—THE BOSTON MASSACRE—ANNIVERSARY KEPT FOR YEARS—WILLIAM NELL, HISTORIAN—3,000 NEGROES IN WASHINGTON'S FORCES—A STIRRING HISTORY—NEGRO WOMAN SOLDIER—BORDER INDIAN WARS—NEGRO HEROES

Chapter X. FROM LEXINGTON TO CARRIZAL.

NEGRO IN WAR OF 1812—INCIDENT OF THE CHESAPEAKE—BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE—PERRY'S FIGHTERS 10 PERCENT NEGROES—INCIDENT OF THE "GOVERNOR TOMPKINS"—COLONISTS FORM NEGRO REGIMENTS—DEFENDERS OF NEW ORLEANS—ANDREW