Over a century after their service in World War I, the all-Black military unit known as the Harlem Hellfighters has been honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. The recognition comes as efforts to acknowledge the achievements of Black Americans clash with the policies of an administration that has acted to again whitewash American history.
All-Black “Harlem Hellfighters” honored in bipartisan ceremony
The Harlem Hellfighters were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award from Congress, in a ceremony held on Wednesday. The Harlem Hellfighters is a nickname for the New York National Guard’s 15th Infantry Regiment, later classified as the 369th Infantry Regiment. During World War I, the regiment fought for nearly 191 consecutive days on the frontlines of Europe, longer than nearly any other American soldiers. The 1,400 casualties they endured were the most of any American unit. The regiment faced racism at home and within the segregated U.S. military, leading to them serving under the French military during the war.
The celebration of the Harlem Hellfighters was a bipartisan affair. Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana said in his remarks about the Harlem Hellfighters, “This story is one that has been overlooked and overshadowed for far too long, but today we right that wrong.”
Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, whose profile describes him as a “former undocumented immigrant turned Congressman,” tweeted, “Today, I was proud to lead efforts to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters. Their valor and dedicated service to our nation will always be remembered.”
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida tweeted about the Hellfighters, “We will never forget their bravery and sacrifice on behalf of our nation.”
Limited progress in recognizing Black American soldiers at home
During the war, the regiment’s French comrades gave them the nickname “Hommes de Bronze” or “Men of Bronze,” and the regiment was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, or Cross of War, for their service. The regiment’s more popular nickname actually came from their German adversaries, who called them “Hollenkampfer” — “Hellfighters” — because of their fierce fighting. The respect shown to the regiment abroad contrasts with the racism that caused them and other Black soldiers to be marginalized and ignored for decades at home. The Harlem Hellfighters are the third Black military unit to be honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, after the Tuskegee Airman received the award in 2007 and the Montford Point Marines received the medal in 2011, both for their service in World War II.
Despite Republicans and Democrats coming together to honor the Harlem Hellfighters on Wednesday, the overdue recognition of Black soldiers is facing pushback from the current administration. In 2023, President Joe Biden changed the name of Louisiana’s Fort Polk to Fort Johnson in honor of Sgt. Henry Johnson, who had previously been awarded the French Croix de Guerre avec Palme for fighting off a German raid and sustaining 21 wounds in order to protect a fellow soldier. The Trump administration recently announced that it was changing the name of the military installation back to Fort Polk, a reference to Confederate General Leonidas Polk. Under the leadership of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, various references to prominent figures from Black and other minority communities have been removed across the U.S. military.
On Wednesday, however, Hegseth was one of the people who spoke about the bravery of the Harlem Hellfighters, saying that “we ought always thank almighty God for such men; and may we honor them forever, especially because they were not honored in their time.” The overall effort to honor the Black Americans who served as soldiers and otherwise built the United States remains long overdue. But now, one group of valiant soldiers are finally getting the recognition they earned over a century ago.
