Today’s Blog is written by Barbara Lewis Burger, a retired National Archives Still Picture Senior Archivist
On this U.S. observance of Veterans Day, I salute my daughter, Jocelyn Cheryl Kimbrough, and more than one hundred members of my expansive family that includes Indigenous/Native Americans, African Diaspora, Free Blacks and Caucasians. I am paying special homage to the mostly unknown and infrequently publicized soldiers.
They are the Black men — and in many cases Black women — who served in every war and military conflict in United States history, from the colonial era to the present. Their roles evolved over time due to laws, segregation, discrimination, and later integration and leadership advancements.
Here’s a compilation of their service that was completed with the help of Ai:
| War / Conflict | Black Participation |
|---|---|
| Colonial Wars (1600s–1775) | Enslaved & free Africans fought in local militias and against Native nations under European colonial powers. |
| American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) | Yes — Continental Army & Navy, Rhode Island “Black Regiment,” others; both free and enslaved men fought. |
| War of 1812 | Yes — Black seamen, soldiers, militias; Battle of New Orleans saw large Black units. |
| Seminole Wars (1817–1858) | Yes — Black soldiers & Black Seminoles, some former enslaved people. |
| Mexican–American War (1846–1848) | Yes — Black regular army soldiers & volunteers (limited roles). |
| Civil War (1861–1865) | Union: ~180,000 served in the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT); ~18,000 in Navy. |
| Confederacy: Mostly forced labor; very few armed at the war’s end. | |
| Indian Wars (1866–1891) | Yes — Buffalo Soldiers (9th & 10th Cavalry, 24th & 25th Infantry). |
| Spanish–American War (1898) | Yes — Buffalo Soldiers played critical roles (San Juan Hill). |
| Philippine–American War (1899–1902) | Yes — Black regiments fought; some questioned U.S. racial policy. |
| World War I (1917–1918) | Yes — ~380,000 served; Harlem Hellfighters (369th Infantry). |
| World War II (1941–1945) | Yes — Over 1 million served; Tuskegee Airmen, 6888th Postal Battalion (women), Montford Point Marines. |
| Korean War (1950–1953) | Yes — First major war with integrated units after 1948 desegregation order. |
| Vietnam War (1955–1975) | Yes — High rates of service; significant casualties; integrated units. |
| Gulf War (1990–1991) | Yes — Black men & women in all branches, including officers. |
| Iraq War (2003–2011) | Yes. |
| War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) | Yes. |
| Modern Global Operations (2021–present) | Yes — Black servicemembers serve in all roles including generals, pilots, special forces, intelligence, medical, and command positions. |
Famous Photograph of the Nine African American Soldiers
The famous photograph of nine African American soldiers from the 369th Infantry Regiment—taken aboard the USS Stockholm on February 12, 1919—is one of the most widely reproduced images documenting Black military service in World War I. The original image is from the American Unofficial Collection of World War I Photographs, 1917–1918
These men served in the regiment later known as the Harlem Hellfighters, redesignated in 1918 after originally enlisting under the 15th New York National Guard (Colored). Due to segregation and discriminatory military policy, the regiment fought under French command. Nevertheless, they earned one of the most outstanding combat records in American history. Their accomplishments were:
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191 consecutive days in combat
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No men captured
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No ground lost
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First Allied unit to cross the Rhine
Many soldiers were awarded the French Croix de Guerre.
Tips for families searching for their ancestors
Indigenous/Native Americans have the highest military rate of service per capita. Blacks — whether African Diasporan or Free — have an equal outstanding record of service in U.S. military. These facts should give family researchers of their ancestors even more incentives to locate the heroes who served mostly unnoticed and often ill-treated.
As examples on how to describe military veterans’ service, I have featured the Harlem Hellfighters:
1. Sgt. Daniel W. Storms, Jr.
Storms enlisted on May 8, 1917, later earning the rank of sergeant and the Croix de Guerre. Born in Stamford, Connecticut, he worked as a hostler and janitor before and after the war. He died in 1922 and is buried in Woodland Cemetery.
2. Pvt. Henry Davis Primas, Sr.
A University of Pittsburgh–trained pharmacist, Primas enlisted in 1917 and served in the Medical Detachment. He received an individual Croix de Guerre for bravery. He later worked as a druggist and U.S. Postal Service employee. He died in 1961 and is buried in Homewood Cemetery.
3. Cpl. Tyler William Taylor
Identified through enlistment cards from the New York Military Museum, Taylor was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1895. He earned a Croix de Guerre, served with Company B, and later worked aboard merchant steamships. He died in New Jersey in 1983.
4. Pvt. Alfred S. Manley (“Kid Buck”)
Originally mis-captioned as “Hanley,” Alfred Manley was born in Powhatan, Virginia in 1895. He enlisted in Company B in July 1917 and sailed aboard the Pocahontas. He died in 1933 and is buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Newark.
5. Pvt. Ralph Ernest Hawkins (“Kid Hawk”)
Hawkins was awarded an individual Croix de Guerre with bronze star. Born in New Jersey, he enlisted at 19 and served in Company C. Postwar records show WPA employment and family life in Philadelphia. He died in 1951.
6. Pvt. Leon E. Fraiter
Born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1892, Fraiter moved to New York by 1911 and enlisted in 1917. After the war he became a jewelry salesman. He died in 1974 and is buried in Long Island National Cemetery.
7. Pvt. Joe (Joseph) Williams
Because many soldiers shared this name, the most likely match is Joseph Williams of Savannah, Georgia—slightly wounded in November 1918 while serving in Company C. More records would clarify his full biography.
8. Pvt. Edward Williams (“Eagle Eye”)
Of several soldiers named Edward Williams, the strongest match is Pvt. Williams of Company C, who was severely wounded during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1898, he eventually moved to New York and lived until 1993.
9. Pvt. Herbert “Lamp Light” Taylor
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Taylor served in Company B and was slightly wounded during the battle for Séchault in 1918. He reenlisted in 1941, lived in New York, and died in 1984.
The archival record of nine soldiers
A century after the Great War, the lives of these nine men demonstrate bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering patriotic resolve. Their stories—preserved through archival photographs, military files, census data, and cemetery records—continue to illuminate African American contributions in World War I and the complexities of Black military history.
*The reference in the title is from a poster in 1918
Selected Sources for further research:
Lists of Incoming Passengers, 1917-1938. NAID: 6234465. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, Record Group 92. The National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
Lists of Outgoing Passengers, 1917-1938. NAID: 6234477. RG 92. The National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Records of the Selective Service System, RG 163. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. M1509
Fourth Registration Draft Cards. Records of the Selective Service System, RG 147. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
Various Census Records. Records of the Bureau of the Census, RG 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
New York Guard Service Cards and Enlistment Records, 1906–1918, 1940–1948. Series B2000. Microfilm, 61 reels. New York State, Division of Military and Naval Affairs. New York State Archives, Albany, NY.
New York State National Guard, National Guard Enlistment Cards, 1923–1940. New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, Saratoga Springs, NY.
Abstracts of National Guard Service in World War I, 1917–1919. New York State Adjutant General’s Office. Series 13721. New York State Archives, Albany, NY.
15th New York National Guard Enlistment Records. New York Heritage Digital Collections.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem Death File.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. National Cemetery Administration, Nationwide Gravesite Locator
U.S. Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File.