African Americans in World War I
April 13, 2020
Video Discussion Questions What was it like to be African American at the time of the start of WWI?By then end of 1919, what was the reason for a migration of African Americans and how many left the South for the North? What role do African American women play during World War I on the homefront?In a war fought for democracy, and according to the video, why did some African American men choose to fight? What roles did African American men play during World War I on the battlefront?How many men served with France and explain who is Henry Johnson…
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The Red Summer
April 13, 2020
[0:00:11] Announcer: Welcome to the How World War I changed America podcast series, sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation with host Dr. Libby O'Connell. [0:00:26] Libby O'Connell: Welcome everybody to our podcast on Red Summer. This is Dr. Libby O'Connell. We're very pleased today to have as our guest, Dr. Chris Capozzola, professor at MIT. Welcome, Chris. Thank you for joining us today. [0:00:41] Chris Cappozola: Thank you for having me with you. [0:00:43] Libby O'Connell: I heard you speak about Red Summer a few years ago and I thought this is the guy I really want to have…
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African Americans in World War I
April 13, 2020
[0:00:11] Speaker 1: Welcome to the How World War I Changed America podcast series, sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, with host Dr. Libby O'Connell. [0:00:26] Libby O'Connell: My name is Libby O'Connell. Today, our topic is African Americans in World War I. Our guest expert today is Dr. John Morrow, Franklin Professor of History at the University of Georgia. It's really an honor to have you here, John. Welcome. [0:00:43] John Morrow: Thank you, Libby. It's a pleasure to be with you today. [0:00:46] Libby O'Connell: You really are one of our nation's experts on the topic, so…
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Why Black Men Fought in World War I, 1919
April 13, 2020
During World War I, the approximately 370,000 black men in the US army served in segregated regiments and were often relegated to support duties such as digging trenches, transporting supplies, cleaning latrines, and burying the dead. One notable exception is the “Harlem Hellfighters,” organized in 1916 as the 15th Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard. Their nickname came from the 200 Harlem residents that comprised the core of the regiment and the German view of them as “Hellfighters.”
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African Americans in World War I
April 13, 2020
Almost 400,000 African Americans served in the U.S. military during World War I. Millions more registered for the draft. 200,000 African Americans served overseas with the American Expeditionary Forces. President Woodrow Wilson deemed it a war to make the world “safe for democracy,” but what did he mean by democracy and who had access to that vision?
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