Over a century after their service in World Conflict I, the all-Black army unit generally known as the Harlem Hellfighters has been honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. The popularity comes as efforts to acknowledge the achievements of Black Individuals conflict with the insurance policies of an administration that has acted to once more whitewash American historical past.
All-Black “Harlem Hellfighters” honored in bipartisan ceremony
The Harlem Hellfighters have been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the best civilian award from Congress, in a ceremony held on Wednesday. The Harlem Hellfighters is a nickname for the New York Nationwide Guard’s fifteenth Infantry Regiment, later categorized because the 369th Infantry Regiment. Throughout World Conflict I, the regiment fought for almost 191 consecutive days on the frontlines of Europe, longer than almost every other American troopers. The 1,400 casualties they endured have been essentially the most of any American unit. The regiment confronted racism at residence and inside the segregated U.S. army, resulting in them serving beneath the French army through the struggle.
The celebration of the Harlem Hellfighters was a bipartisan affair. Republican Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson of Louisiana stated in his remarks in regards to the Harlem Hellfighters, “This story is one which has been ignored and overshadowed for a lot too lengthy, however at present we proper that flawed.”
Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, whose profile describes him as a “former undocumented immigrant turned Congressman,” tweeted, “In the present day, I used to be proud to guide efforts to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, generally known as the Harlem Hellfighters. Their valor and devoted service to our nation will all the time be remembered.”
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida tweeted in regards to the Hellfighters, “We’ll always remember their bravery and sacrifice on behalf of our nation.”
Restricted progress in recognizing Black American troopers at residence
Throughout the struggle, the regiment’s French comrades gave them the nickname “Hommes de Bronze” or “Males of Bronze,” and the regiment was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, or Cross of Conflict, for his or her service. The regiment’s extra common nickname really got here from their German adversaries, who referred to as them “Hollenkampfer” — “Hellfighters” — due to their fierce preventing. The respect proven to the regiment overseas contrasts with the racism that triggered them and different Black troopers to be marginalized and ignored for many years at residence. The Harlem Hellfighters are the third Black army unit to be honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, after the Tuskegee Airman obtained the award in 2007 and the Montford Level Marines obtained the medal in 2011, each for his or her service in World Conflict II.
Regardless of Republicans and Democrats coming collectively to honor the Harlem Hellfighters on Wednesday, the overdue recognition of Black troopers is dealing with pushback from the present administration. In 2023, President Joe Biden modified the identify of Louisiana’s Fort Polk to Fort Johnson in honor of Sgt. Henry Johnson, who had beforehand been awarded the French Croix de Guerre avec Palme for preventing off a German raid and sustaining 21 wounds to be able to defend a fellow soldier. The Trump administration just lately introduced that it was altering the identify of the army set up again to Fort Polk, a reference to Accomplice Common Leonidas Polk. Beneath the management of Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth, varied references to outstanding figures from Black and different minority communities have been eliminated throughout the U.S. army.
On Wednesday, nonetheless, Hegseth was one of many individuals who spoke in regards to the bravery of the Harlem Hellfighters, saying that “we ought all the time thank almighty God for such males; and will we honor them perpetually, particularly as a result of they weren’t honored of their time.” The general effort to honor the Black Individuals who served as troopers and in any other case constructed the US stays lengthy overdue. However now, one group of valiant troopers are lastly getting the popularity they earned over a century in the past.
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