Nov 21, 2024 Story by: Editor
Black Veterans: Honored Abroad, Abused at Home
For generations, African Americans have served in the U.S. military, inspired by a desire to defend their nation and seek opportunities. However, upon their return, these veterans often faced brutal violence, discrimination, and even death because of their military status. The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) has documented at least 35 Black veterans who were victims of racial terror lynching from 1865 to 1950.
The Roots of Violence Against Black Veterans
During the 19th and 20th centuries, white supremacy and racial hierarchies dominated U.S. society. Many white Americans feared that Black soldiers, emboldened by their military service, would challenge systemic racism and demand equality. In 1917, Senator James Vardaman of Mississippi openly expressed such fears, stating that allowing Black soldiers to view themselves as heroes would lead them to expect political rights, a prospect he considered disastrous.
This fear translated into violence. Black veterans, seen as potential leaders of a civil rights movement, became targets of white aggression. Icons like Hosea Williams and Medgar Evers, who transitioned from military service to civil rights activism, exemplified the leadership many sought to suppress.
Examples of Brutal Violence
- In August 1898, James Neely, a Black Army private, was murdered by a white mob in Hampton, Georgia, after protesting a storekeeper’s refusal to serve him.
- Charles Lewis, a recently discharged Black soldier, was lynched in uniform in Hickman, Kentucky, in December 1918, just weeks after World War I ended. Accused of assault by a white officer, he was seized from jail by a mob and hanged.
- Black World War II veterans also suffered attacks. In August 1944, a restaurant owner in Shreveport, Louisiana, shot four Black soldiers for allegedly trying to “take over” his establishment, facing no charges for the act.
- Joe Nathan Roberts, a Navy veteran, and Temple University student, was lynched in Sardis, Georgia, in June 1947 for refusing to address white men as “sir.”
Even voting could be perilous. In 1948, Isaiah Nixon, a 28-year-old Black veteran, was shot and killed outside his home in Montgomery County, Georgia, after voting in the local primary. Despite arrests, the white men charged with his murder were acquitted by all-white juries.
Systemic Injustice
The U.S. military and federal officials often failed to protect Black veterans from such violence, compounding their trauma. The abuses endured by these veterans highlight the deep racial prejudice entrenched in American society.
The Words of Private Merle Monroe
In 1942, Private Merle Monroe, stationed at Camp Polk, Louisiana, captured the frustration of Black soldiers in a letter to the Pittsburgh Courier: “Paradoxically enough, our country spends millions annually in an effort to build up Negro morale, both in and out of the army, yet, foolishly, destroys the blueprint of its program by tolerating brutal killings without even a pretense of a fair trial.”
Honoring the Sacrifice
This Veterans Day, amid discussions of racial inequality and justice, it is crucial to honor the dual battles fought by African American veterans: defending the nation abroad while fighting for dignity and rights at home. Monroe’s words resonate decades later: “Morale to the Negro, as with every human being, is like yeast to bread. Morale puffs us up with love and pride for our country… [and] the right to live our lives unhampered by strings of prejudice… With these necessary stimulants, we Negro soldiers will resist, with every inch of our stature, any threat to our country’s laws.”
As we reflect on their sacrifices, it becomes evident that acknowledging the struggles of Black veterans is essential in understanding the broader fight for racial justice in America. Source: Equal Justice Initiative
