SCOTT'S OFFICIAL HISTORY THE AMERICAN NEGRO EMMETT J. SCOTT, AM., LL.D. Author of "Tuskegee and Its People," "Is
Liberia Worth Saving?" and Secretary of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. Eighteen
years A Complete and Authentic Narration, from Official Sources,
of the Participation Of Profusely Illustrated A Full Account of the War Work Organization of Colored Men
and Women Prefaced with Highest Tributes to the American
Negro |
Copyright. 1919, by Emmett J. Scott.
PHOTOGRAPHS USED IN THIS VOLUME ARE COPYRIGHTED
BY
Underwood & Underwood, Paul Thompson, E, L. Snyder; Baker Art
Gallery; Western Newspaper Union; Scurlock;, Committee on
Public Information; Beresford Studio; Emmett J. Scott;
War Camp Community Service; Canfield & Shook;
Webb Studio; International Film
Service; and others
All rights reserved.
TO
MY WIFE AND CHILDREN
TO WHOSE LOVE AND INSPIRATION
I OWE SO MUCH.
--Table of Contents
A. ----AUTHOR'S PREFACE
B. ----LOYALTY AND DEMOCRACY OF THE NEGRO, BY SECRETARY BAKER
C. ----TRIBUTE TO THE NEGRO SOLDIER, BY GENERAL PERSHING
D. ----THE NEGRO'S PART IN THE WAR, BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT
CHAPTER I.----HOW THE GREAT WAR CAME TO AMERICA
The Underlying Causes of the War---Racial Hatreds and National Enmities ---Germany's Ambition, to Rule the World---The Gathering of the War Clouds---Germany's Attempt to Stir Up Trouble Between the United States and Mexico---Events that Led to America's Participation In the War.
CHAPTER II. ----THE CALL TO THE COLORS
Negro Troops that Were Ready When War Was Declared---The Famous 9th And 10thCavalry, U. S. Army---The 24th and' 25th. Infantry-National Guard Units of Colored Troops---The 8th Illinois---The 15th New York---National Guard Units of Ohio, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, and Tennessee---First Separate Battalion of the District of Columbia---How All of These Responded to the Call.
CHAPTER III.----OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF THE NEGRO'S INTEREST
Appointment of Emmett J. Scott as Special Assistant to the See?retary of War---Difficulties Encountered In Establishing the Negro's Status---Opportunities Afforded for Effective Work on Behalf of Negro Soldiers---Better Opportunities for Negro Officers, Soldiers, Nurses, Surgeons, and Others Obtained Through This Official Connection.
CHAPTER IV.----THE WORK OF THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT
Guarding the Interests of Negro Soldiers and Civilians---Promoting a Healthy Morale---Cases of Alleged Discrimination Against Negro Draftees---The Edward Merchant Case---The John D. Wray Case---How Justice Was Secured---A War Department Inquiry---Training of Colored Officers.
CHAPTER V.----THE NEGRO IN THE NATIONAL ARMY
Selective Service Law the Most Complete Recognition of the Citizenship ---Of the Negro, North and South---All the Duties and Responsibilities of Patriots Imposed Upon the Negro by the Draft Act---Tribute by the Provost Marshall General to the Colored Soldier---Assignment of Negro Draftees to Cantonments.
CHAPTER VI.----A CRITICAL SITUATION IN THE CAMPS
Race Problems that Had to be Solved---Fear of the Southern Whites that Trouble Would Follow the Training of Negro Troops In the South--- Situation Complicated by the Houston Riot---Protest of the Governor of South Carolina---Dr. Scott Called to Spartanburg, S. C. to Allay Trouble There---How the Negro Soldier Finally Won the Respect and Confidence of the South.
CHAPTER VII.----COLORED OFFICERS AND HOW THEY WERE TRAINED
First Officers' Training Camp for Colored Men at Fort Des Moines--- Iowa Major J. E; Spingarn's Fight for the Establishment of This Camp---Methods Of Training Reserve Officers---Negro Educational Institutions Furnish Personnel---Seven Hundred Colored Officers Commissioned at Fort Des Moines.
CHAPTER VIII.----TREATMENT OF NEGRO SOLDIERS IN CAMP
Men from the South Sent to Northern Camps to Face a Hard Winter---Attempts at Discrimination Against Negro Soldiers and Officers-Firm Stand of the Secretary of War Against Race Discrimination---General Ballou's "Bulletin No. 35"---Members of Draft Boards Dismissed for Discrimination Against the Race.
CHAPTER IX.----EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS.
Secretary Baker and the Trying Situation at Camp Lee, Virginia---Reports on Investigations at Numerous Camps---Improved Conditions Brought About Gradually---The Case of Lieutenant Tribbett and Similar Cases of Race Prejudice.
CHAPTER X.----NEGRO SOLDIERS OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND
French Colored Colonials the First Black Soldiers to Take Part In the War---The Story of These Senegalese Fighters---Their Important Part from the Beginning of the War---The Fight for the African Colonies---German 'Employment of Negro Troops In the Early Part of the War.
CHAPTER XI.----THE NEGRO COMBAT DIVISION
Pull Detailed Account of the Organization and Fighting Campaigns of the Famous Ninety-Second, as Recorded, by the Division's Official Historian---Complete Officlal Reports of Eveily Battle in Which the Ninety-second Took Part---Commendation by Commanding Officers.
CHAPTER XII.----CITATIONS AND AWARDS, 92ND DIVISION
Officers and Men of the Famous Negro Division Whose Heroic Conduct Gained for Them the Distinguished Service Cross---Details of Their Deeds of Heroism in Action---Special Mention of Officers and Men by Various Commanding Officers.
CHAPTER XIII.----THE STORY OF "THE BUFFALOES"
Glorious Record of the 367th Infantry Regimpnt--Colonel James A. Moss---Presentation of Colors by the Union League Club---"The Buffaloes" In France---How They "Saw It Through" at Metz---Their Heroic Conduct Under Fire---Regimental Colors Decorated, by Order of the French High Commaud---A Tribute from France to "These Sunburned Americans."
CHAPTER XIV.----RECORD OF "THE OLD FIFTEENTH"
The Glorious Story of the 369th United States Infantry, Formerly of the New York National Guard---The Regiment That Never Lost a Man Captured, a Trench, or a Foot of Ground---First Negro Troops to Go into Action In France.
CHAPTER XV.----"THE EIGHTH ILLINOIS"
Story of the 370th U. S. Infantry---Another Negro National Guard Regiment that Won Distinction on the Battlefield---Chicago's Colored Fighters Called "Black Devils" by the Germans and "Partridges" by the French Because of Their Proud Bearing---First American Troops to March into the Fortified City of Laon---Their Stubborn Resistance at the Oise-Aisne Canal.
CHAPTER XVI.----THE 371ST INFANTRY IN FRANCE
How This Colored Regiment of the "Red Hand" Division Helped to Win the War---Service in the Trenches under General Goybet---In the Great Champagne Offensive---Fierce Fighting and Heavy Losses---The Regiment Decorated by the French-Individual Citations and Awards.
CHAPTER XVII.----THE RECORD OF THE 372ND
A Regiment Made Up of National Guard Troops and Drafted Men-Attached to the Famous French "Red Hand" Division---Its Splendid Record in France---At Hill 304-Heroic Exploits of Individnals---The Regiment Decorated with the Croix de Guerre---Citations and Awards.
CHAPTER XVIII.----NEGRO HEROES OF THE WAR
The Exploit of Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts---How One American Soldier In No-Man's Land Killed Four Germans and Wounded Twenty-Eight Others Single-Handed---First American Soldiers to Receive the French Croix de Guerre---Other Instances of Individual Heroism by Negro Soldiers.
CHAPTER XIX.----THE NEGRO SOLDIER AS A FIGHTER
Unanimous Praise by Military Observers---Value of Negroes as Shock Troops---Discipline and Morale Under Fire---What the War Correspondents Said About Them---Comments by Foreign Military Observers---Estimates by American and French Officers.
CHAPTER XX.----WITH OUR SOLDIERS IN FRANCE
Official Reports of the Only Accredited Negro War Correspondent---Ralph W. Tyler, Representative with the A. E. F. of the U. S. Committee on Public Information---The Story of the Life and Fighting of American Negro Soldiers in France as Seen by This Trained Observer.
CHAPTER XXI.----NEGRO MUSIC THAT STIRRED FRANCE
Recognition of the Value of Music by the U. S. War Department---The Patriotic Music of Colored Americans---Lieutenant James Europe and His Famous "Jazz" Band---Other Leaders and Aggregations of Musicians---Enthusiasm of the French People and Officers for American Music as Interpreted by These Colored Artists and Their Bandsmen.
CHAPTER XXII.----THE NEGRO IN THE SERVICE OF SUPPLY
A Vast Army of Colored Stevedores In France---Their Important and Efficient Work---Essential to the Combatant Army in the Trenches---Their Loalty and Cheerfulness---Important Lessons Learned in the War---The Labor Battalions---Well-Earned Tributes to These Splendid Colored Workers Overseas.
CHAPTER XXIII.----" WITH THOSE WHO WAIT"
Provision for Technical Training of Draftees---Units that Did Not Get to France---Vocational and Educational Opportunities Opened to Them---The Negro in the Students' Army Training Corps-In the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
CHAPTER XXIV.----GERMAN PROPAGANDA AMONG NEGROES
Insidious Efforts to Create Dissatisfaction Among Colored Americans---Germany's Treacherous Promises---How the Hun Tried to Undermine the Loyalty of Our Negro Citizens---Steps Taken to Combat Enemy Propaganda---Work of the Committee on Public Information.
CHAPTER XXV.----How COLORED CIVILIANS HELPED TO WIN
Their Co-operation in All the Liberty Loan Drives---The Negro and the Red Cross---In the United War Work Campaign---How the Negroes Bought War Savings Stamps---Special Contributions and Work of Colored Citizens---The "Committee of One Hundred" and Its Valuable Work.
CHAPTER XXVI.----NEGRO LABOR IN WAR TIME
Organization for War Work---The Division of Negro Economics---Pioneer Work of Dr. George E. Haynes---Negro Representation in Council-Seeking to Improve Race Relations---Good Work by Negroes in the Shipyards---Attitude of Organized Labor---The Opportunities of the War.
CHAPTER XXVII.----NEGRO WOMEN IN WAR WORK
Enthusiastic Service of Colored Women in the Wartime Emergency---Overcoming the Problems of Race by Pure Patriotism---Work for the Red Cross---The Young Women's Christian Association---The Colored Hostess Houses and Rest Rooms for Soldiers---War Problems of Living---The Circle for Negro War Relief---Colored Women in the Loan Drives---Important Work in War Industries.
CHAPTER XXVIII.----SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES
Important Welfare Work of the Young Men's Christian Association and Other Organized Bodies---Negro Secretaries of the Y. M. C. A.---The Problem of Illiteracy in the Camps---The Social Secretaries---Results of Education---The Y. W. C. A. Hostess Houses---The Knights of Columbus---Caring tor Retained Soldiers.
CHAPTER XXIX.----NEGRO LOYALTY AND MORALE
Eager Response of Colored Draftees---Notable Tributes to the Patriotism of the Negro Race by the White Press---Also by President Wilson, Secretary Baker, Secretary Daniels and Others---Negro Loyalty Never Doubted---Patriotic Negro Demonstrations and Other Instances of Loyalty.
CHAPTER XXX.----DID THE NEGRO SOLDIER GET A SQUARE DEAL?
Reports of Widespread Discrimination and Harsh Treatment In Camp---Many Manifestations of Prejudice by White Officers---The Question of White or Negro Officers for Negro Regiments---Higher Officers of the Army Usually Fair---Disinclination to Utilize Colored Nurses and Colored Medical Men---Secretary Baker's Efforts to Prevent Race Discrimination---Reports of Negro Observers on Conditions Overseas.
CHAPTER XXXI.----WHAT THE NEGRO GOT OUT OF THE WAR
A Keener Sense of His Rights and Privileges as a Citizen of the United States---Racial Attitude of the South-Returning Negro Soldiers and Conditions in the North---The Attitude of Organized Labor-Instances of Discrimination---The Black Man and His Claims to Equal Treatment.
APPENDICES.
A1.----COLORED OFFICERS COMMISSIONED AT FT. DES MOINES
A2.----COLORED CHAPLAINS IN THE U.S. ARMY
A3.----OFFICIAL SUMMARY OF THE TREATY OF PEACE
A4.----CHANGES
(a)---- MAP OF CENTRAL EUROPE SHOWING TERRITORIAL CHANGES
---------UNDER THE TREATY(b)----KEY TO THE MAP
(c)----FINAL CHANGES IN THE TREATY
A5.----CHRONOLOGY OF THE WORLD WAR
