The 369th Regiment "Harlem Hellfighters"

               During WWI there was a National Guard regiment out of Harlem, New York City, New York.  The regiment consisted of all black enlistees and only a few white officers.  This regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters, led the way in racial integration by showing their love and concern for their country.  The regiment is remembered today through memories of the regimental band, and their fight against both the Germans and racial prejudice.

               The 369th regimental band is recognized for spreading jazz era music to Europe.  Coincidentally the directer of the band was James Reese Europe.  He served in the regiment as a lieutenant of the 369th.  The band played most of their performances for either British, French, and American military audiences or for civilians of France who became entranced with the band's music.   The band did most of their performances during February and March of 1918 when they were not seeing as much of the front line combat.  The bands first concert included a line-up of French March, Stars and Stripes Forever, and other of their syncopated numbers.  With all of their syncopated numbers the band supposedly started "ragtimitis" in France.  The band also passed a major milestone while in France by recording some of their songs with the Pathe brothers.  The Pathe brothers were a French recording company.  But while they were in Europe the bands music began to fall behind the advances in music that were being made back in the States.  Years after returning to the States, James Europe was stabbed in the neck by one of the band members he was having a quarrel with.  At the time of his death Europe was the best known African American band leader in the US.  The band that brought him up to fame was subsequently his downfall.

               The 369th Harlem Hellfighters did see action while in Europe but most of their action happened while fighting under a French flag as reinforcements to the French army which lost significant numbers during WWI.  Some notable members of the regiment included: Lt. James Reese Europe, Lt. George Robb, Sgts. Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts, and Congressman Hamilton Fish.  Lt. Europe was, as described in the previous paragraph, the leader of the regimental band while he was also a Lieutenant in combat.  Lt. George Robb was the only soldier to receive the Purple Heart and the Medal of Honor while he was still overseas.  Many other members of the 369th received these medals but were awarded them once they returned home.  Sgts. Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts are significant figures because they were both awarded the French Croix de Guerre while in combat.  Johnson is also noticed for his bout with numerous German soldiers while he defended a wounded brother-in-arms with only a knife!  Congressman Hamilton Fish is also very significant in that he was one of the only white officers in the 369th.  He served as a captain in the primarily black regiment and he was awarded the Silver Star and the Croix de Guerre.  I have mentioned the Croix de Guerre multiple times and feel I should explain it.  It is a medal awarded by the French government to recognize "acts of bravery in the face of the enemy" that are specifically mentioned in dispatches from the front lines.  The medal is open to any soldier, sailor, or airman of all ranks or of any Allied unit or army.  The level of command by which the level is awarded will change the appearance of the ribbon by variance in the appurtenance.  The Croix de Guerre was awarded to all members of the 369th Hellfighters Regiment for their victories while fighting under the French flag.

               While the Hellfighters were fighting the Germans they still had to fight racial prejudice in their encampments both overseas and on US soil.  The Hellfighters had been stationed in a base in North Carolina to await departure for Europe to see combat.  While their the whole regiment was mocked and criticized during their stay and the white soldiers would always try and pick fights with the Hellfighters.  Hamilton Fish, the Hellfighters white captain, didn't like to see this type of treatment for his men.  So Fish took a black soldier of the 369th with him and they marched down to the white units encampment at the base.  He walked in and said that if anyone wanted to fight the duo they should step up and take their chances.  The man fish brought with him was 6'5" and 240 pounds of pure muscle!  No wonder no one wanted to fight them!  The Regiment faced this kind of prejudice before their tour in France but upon their return home the mood was completely different towards the primarily black regiment out of Harlem.  When they returned the nation had already heard of their outstanding valor and accomplishments while fighting the Germans.  And the city of New York in honor of the 369th and the parade route marched them right down 5th of the grandest city in America!  It just goes to show that Americans just needed to see that black people also loved their country and were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the country they love.  

               The Hellfighters, while primarily black, proved their worth to America by fighting through racial prejudice and Germans.   While simultaneously spreading American culture through Europe with their jazz band.  In the end the Hellfighters turned out to be a great representation of American awesomeness!