Ebony Doughboy Charles Whitaker of Forestville, Md, was interviewed by the Washington Post In reference to our participation in Washington DC’s 2017 Memorial Day Parade. Charles represented African American Veterans from the 93rd Division in WWI.
Category Archives: 370th Infantry Regiment WWI
Ebony Doughboys-WWI Re-enactors-Memorial Day Parade Washington DC
Ebony Doughboys had the honor of marching in the Washington DC 2017 Memorial Day Parade along with WWI re-enactors from all over the US as well as members of the US WWI Commission .
Ebony Doughboys Charles Whitaker and Kelly Washington represented African American WWI Veterans who served in France during the Great War.
Ebony Doughboys-WWI Reenactors-African American Doctors of WWI
April 29, 2017 Black WW1 Doctors Visit Raleigh’s Pope House Museum The Ebony Doughboys Participate in the “Black Pioneers in Uniform” Program
: For years, the legacy of African American World War One servicemen has largely been unsung, least of all the stories of those doctors who volunteered to be medical officers. However, this is slowly changing. Black Pioneers in Uniform: Shaw University’s Leonard Medical School & the Great War is a new living-history event hosted by the Pope House Museum to commemorate those Leonard graduates who became medical officers, including the community that nurtured them, and the life of Dr. Manassas Thomas Pope. Many of them were taught by Dr. Pope, who was himself a veteran of the Spanish-American War, Raleigh’s first licensed African American physician and a bold civic leader who ran for mayor in 1919. Today his home, acquired by the City of Raleigh in 2011, stands anachronistically in the central business district, an artifact of the then-black residential Fourth Ward and testimony to his influence.
By the turn of the 20th century, only three Historically Black Colleges and Universities had medical programs: Meharry in Nashville; Howard in Washington, DC; and Leonard at Shaw University in Raleigh. Leonard Medical was the first, opening in 1880, yet due to rising costs closed in 1919. However during this period, it produced 400 physicians which included 13 of the 104 African American volunteer doctors of the First World War.
“This program is designed to connect a community with its own World War One legacy; we are honored to participate,” said Art Collins, founder and president of the Ebony Doughboys, the only organization of living-historians educating the public on the impact of those African Americans serving in the Great War. Ebony Doughboys was pleased to have W. Douglas Fisher author of “African American Doctors of WWI to talk about these groundbreaking heroes. “We are excited to have the unit support our event,” said Ernest Dollar, manager of the Pope House Museum. “They bring knowledge, and dedication, to a story that is largely unknown.”
Ebony Doughboys-WWI Reenactors-3 Centuries of African American Soldiers
On 2/25 2/26 We celebrated our 6th consecutive year of our living history timeline 3 Centuries of African American Soldiers. 3 Centuries as the event is now affectionately known is a timeline that starts from the Revolutionary War to Korea. Reenactors dressed in period uniforms tell the history of their particular time period and show off their valuable militaria collections. 3 Centuries was established to honor African American Veterans who have served in all of America’s wars till present.
Our special guest this year was NYU Professor and Author Dr. Jeffery Sam
mons who lectured on his book about the 369th Infantry Regiment “Harlem Hellfighters” “The Harlem Rattlers and The Great War”.
Ebony Doughboys WWI Reenactors-Eugene Bullard
Eugene Bullard was the world’s first black combat aviator, flying in French squadrons during World War I (1917-18). Before he became a pilot he served in the French Foreign Legion and was awarded the Croix De Guerre.
Eugene Bullard is performed by actor Chadd Gray. Chadd Gray is a budding actor from Voorhees, New Jersey. At 20 years old, he has graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy’s conservatory program, located in NYC. Trained in classical and contemporary acting forms, for both the stage and film, he has played characters ranging from Shakespeare’s ever calculating Richard III to the hopelessly confused teenager, Bleeker, in Juno.
As the year comes to a close, Chadd has plans to continue his education to earn his degree while also starting his YouTube channel where he can post original content written, directed, and filmed by himself and other creatives.
Ebony Doughboys WW1 Reenactors-Veterans Day in NYC November 2016
The Ebony Doughboys were representing Harlem’s own 369th Harlem Hell Fighters at the NYC Veterans Day Parade November 11, 2016. Pictured are Steven Jones, Collins Jones and George Jones.
Another Contingent of Ebony Doughboy’s were also educating and honoring the memories of African American Veterans from the Revolutionary War, WWI and WWII at Charlottesville Virginia’s annual Veterans Day “Straighten Up and Fly Right” event at the Jefferson School a formerly segregated school for African American students.
Ebony Doughboys-501C3 Non Profit
Ebony Doughboys is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that relies on your generosity to advance our goal in educating the public about the contributions of African American combat soldiers in the 93rd Infantry Division during WWI. Through your generosity we can continue to educate the public about these men through our traveling history exhibits, educational programming, living history presentations and battle reenactments.
Please help us in honoring the memory of these forgotten soldiers who fought two wars, one in France and the other on the home front.
Ebony Doughboys-WWI-Army Historical Foundation
Ebony Doughboys member Kelly Washington displays his collection at the US Army National Museum at Ft. Belvoir, Va on 18 Feb 2016. The event also showcased the new book “African American Doctors of WWI” by W. Douglas Fisher and Joann H. Buckley.
Ebony Doughboys- WWI Reenactors-Newville Pa-WWI-GWA
The Ebony Doughboy’s were very busy the weekend of11/7/15. Two Elements of the Ebony Doughboys were attending two different events.
The Illinois contingent was manning the trenches as Red Hand soldiers in Newville, Pa. Our East Coast contingent was representing the state side soldiers of the 93rd Infantry Division in Dover Delaware’s Veterans Day Parade with Caesar Rodney’s JROTC. CRJROTC displayed outstanding military discipline and drilling skill. 
The Fall event in Newville Pa is a WWI tactical combat reenactment. This event includes military vehicles, reenactors dressed in period WWI uniforms with weapons, participating in WWI trench warfare. This event is the premiere tactical event of the two that we participate in each year in Newville.
Both contingents of Ebony Doughboys portrayed their WWI counterparts with distinction while on the reenactment battlefield and on parade duty.
Ebony Dough boys-WWI Reenactors-Veterans Day Parade-Dover Delaware
The Ebony Doughboys WWI Reenactors partnered with members of Cesar Rodney HS. JROTC at the Veterans Day Parade at Dover Delaware on November 7, 2015 to honor the veterans that served in the 93rd Infantry Division in WWI.
The 93rd Infantry Division was a segregated Infantry Division in WWI.
The Division included medal of honor winner’s Henry Johnson of New York, Freddie Stowers of South Carolina as well as Needham Roberts winner of the Croix De guerre from Trenton, NJ.
The 93rd Infantry Division was the Division of the Harlem Hellfighters and the Bloody Red Hand Division.
African American soldiers in WWI fought under French command. General Pershing gave the all black 92nd and 93rd Divisions to the French to satisfy the French Armies manpower shortages and to also satisfy the American High Command’s segregated policy towards black troops serving in combat.
The state of Delaware was the home of many African American soldiers that served in WWI. Ebony Doughboys and Cesar Rodney’s JROTC was proud to represent these heroes on veterans day.