Tag Archives: Union League Philadelphia

Ebony Doughboys-WWI-Harlem Hellfighters

cropped-Ebony-Doughboys-logo.pngEbony Doughboy member Algernon Ward will give a presentation on “The Harlem Hellfighters” at the Union League 140 South Broad St. Philadelphia, Pa. February 16, 2015 at 6 Pm. 369 marching

Affectionate known as Algie by friends and family Algie is Professionally  employed at the NJ Department of Health Laboratories since 1982 where he became its first African-American Chemist in 1987. In 2003 Algernon Ward Jr. became the NJDHSS’ first African-American Research Scientist.

In his personal life, while pursuing twin passions of acting and history,  Algie  is a founding member of the 6th Regiment United States Colored Troops, Civil War Reenactors Inc., where he is the President and 1st Sergeant. The regiment expanded to include African-American Revolutionary War patriots where Algie portrays both a soldier of “The Black Regiment” the 1st Rhode Island Regiment and Black Joe Brown a soldier of Glover’s Marbleheaders. As a Continental Militiaman, 

Algie can be seen in The History Channel’s series of “The Tech Effect of Washington Crossing The Delaware”. In the summer and fall of 2003 Algie was the Featured Reenactor in Part Four – “The Challenge To Freedom” as Senator Robert Smalls, South Carolina’s first African-American US Senator and Civil War hero, for the PBS Mini-Series  Slavery and The Making of America aired on WNET-13 New York in November 2005.

Algie’s image appears in the NJDEP’s “Oh Freedom” traveling exhibit which highlights the fight for freedom on both sides of the Revolutionary War.
For the past 5 years in commemoration of Black History Month the 6th Regiment USCT presents a program entitled “Three Centuries of Black Soldiers” in collaboration with Trenton’s Old Barracks Museum and The Trenton Historical Society. The program exhibits the contributions of African-American military men over the entire span of American military history.  Algie’s composed an engaging presentation focused on the history of the local “Black Doughboys” of World War I, many of whom were members of the famous 369th “Harlem Hellfighters” of the all black 93rd Division. His study of the regiment revealed a trove of information that could be lost in time if the reenactors of today didn’t make the effort to tell their stories.
To learn more about black combat troops in WWI click: www.ebonydoughboys.org