Essay Example on The Army’s 369th Infantry better known as the Harlem Hellfighters

Though wounded they refused to surrender fighting on with whatever weapons were at hand In addition to their bravery the Harlem Hellfighters also stood out because they were the first all black regiment to serve in the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I The regiment faced discrimination routinely reflecting the culture in America at that time Most African American troops were put to work on time consuming manual labor jobs such as digging ditches and making roads The Harlem Hellfighters were deployed to France to do these manual labor tasks even though they were trained for combat before they left America The French though were desperate for troops and American officials agreed to put the Harlem Hellfighters under their control Because they were not trusted to fight alongside Americans they became one of the French s greatest assets in World War I According to the Oxford African American Studies Center The sacrifice of African American soldiers such as these certainly did not end racism at home or abroad but it showed the world that their patriotism and heroism unquestioningly matched that of their white counterparts The Harlem Hellfighters had a very significant cultural impact throughout the world through the music played by the 369th Infantry s band 

The leader of the band was James Reese Europe a skilled violinist and piano player during his youth When he enlisted for the war he and his friend formed a regimental jazz band In France Europe and the band introduced the sounds of American ragtime to European audiences The band often played in areas where troops were on a one week leave Europe and his band played in numerous places and programs that featured Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever and plantation melodies and finished with Memphis Blues invariably brought down the house according to James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters Band by Glenn Watkins According to Jim Europe's 369th Infantry Hellfighters Band by Floyd Levin After the war Europe proudly led his Hellfighters band in the nation's first parade of returning World War heroes Shortly after arriving in the U S Europe and his band recorded eleven tunes for the Pathé Freres Phonograph Company Only two months after recording these tunes James was murdered by one of his band members who felt he was being treated unfairly The funeral march took place in New York the first public memorial service held for a black person in the city's history according to Levin So in conclusion the Harlem Hellfighters fought courageously and bravely having a huge impact on World War I in France The regiment broke racial barriers becoming one of the few all black regiments to see combat in World War I In addition the regiments band impacted musical culture by introducing Europeans to American ragtime music Therefore the Harlem Hellfighters were extraordinary examples of bravery and courageousness on and off the battlefield