AFRICAN-AMERICAN CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR WINNERS BY: MSG KENNITH J. SNYDER STUDENT NUMBER 377 SGM ABDUL COLE R07 28 FEBRUARY 2005 MSG Kennith J. Snyder . Student #377 R07 AFRICAN AMERICAN MEDAL OF HONOR WINNERS OUTLINE 1. Introduction. 2. Body. A. Development of the Medal of Honor 1) President Abraham Lincoln approves authorization ofthe award 2) Total Awards presented to date 3) Total African-Americans receiving the award to date B. Civil War Recipients 1) Total African-Americans recipients 2) Private William Barnes 3) Sergeant William Carney 4) 1SGs Powhaten Beaty and James Bronson 5) SGM Christian Fleetwood C. Indian Wars Recipient 1) Total African-Americans recipients 2) 1SG William Wilson 3) ISG Moses Williams 4) SGT George Jordan 5) CPL Isaiah Mays D. Interim 1) Eight recipients, all from the Navy 2) All for risking their own lives to save comrades from drowning 3) Ship'S Cook Daniel Atkins E. Spanish American War 1) Total African-Americans recipients 2) SGM Edward L. Baker 3) Five other recipients F. World War I 1) 127 recipients during the World War 1,0 African-American recipients 2) Corporal Freddie Stowers posthumously awarded in 1991 G. World War II 1) 432 recipients, zero Blacks 2) Seven presented award in 1997 MSG Kennith J. Snyder Student #377 R07 3) SSG Edward A. Carter 4) SSG Ruben Rivers H. Korean War and Vietnam Conflict 1) 376 recipients, 22 Mrican-Arnericans 2) Two during Korean War 3) 20 during the Vietnam Conflict 3. Closing. African-Americans have served proudly in every conflict that the United States has participated in, yet their outstanding acts of heroism have remained anonymous in several instances. They served in spite of slavery, as well as blatant prejudice and discrimination. Not only were African-Americans mistreated in society, but they were also treated unfairly in the military as well. A picture ofthis can be seen when we study those who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. African-Americans have done so much but only a few received this nation's highest military honor. In February of 1862, Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson introduced a bill to Congress requesting authorization ofan award for soldiers who distinguish themselves in battle. President Abraham Lincoln signed the authorization in July of the same year. Thus, the Congressional Medal of Honor was created. (Lee 58) Since the inception of the award, 3,459 have been presented. Ofthat total, only 61 have been presented to African-Americans. This makes up less than 2 percent ofthose receiving the award. The first award given to an African-American was in April of 1865. During the American Civil War, 23 African-Americans earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. There were 17 from the Army and 6 from the Navy. Surprisingly, this was the highest total of African-American awardees for any conflict. The first African-American to receive the Medal of Honor was Private William Barnes of the 38 th U. S. Colored Troops. He accomplished this for his bravery in the face of the enemy at Chapin's Farm, VA. Despite being wounded, he bravely continued fighting and was one of the first soldiers in his unit to enter the enemy works. (Genealogy Quest 3) Sergeant William H. Carney of the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry won the Medal of Honor for bravely securing the unit's colors and spear-heading an unsuccessful assault on Fort Wagner in July of 1863. He led the assault under a barrage of enemy fue and against tremendous odds. He was wounded three times and refused medical aid until he could give the flag to someone in his unit. Unfortunately, he was not recognized for his heroic act until May of 1900, some 37 years later. He was nominated for the award by his Sergeant Major, SGM Christian Fleetwood, himself a Medal ofHonor Winner. (William Carney 2) SGM Fleetwood was the first African-American SGM to receive the award. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the 5'4" Fleetwood grabbed his unit's colors after his color bearers had been shot down. His act ofbravery rallied his unit despite the loss of365 of its 685 men during the attack. First Sergeants Powhaten Beaty and James H. Bronson both won their awards for displaying outstanding leadership while taking charge oftheir units during battle after all of the officers were killed or wounded. Beaty and Bronson were both awarded their medals in April of 1865. In a land split by slavery and marred with prejudice, the United States recognized numerous African-Americans who rallied to the nation's call to take up arms to fight in its Civil War. (History 3) During the Indian Wars, which lasted from 1861-1898, 18 awards were presented to African-Americans. There were 15 recipients from the Army and 3 scouts. In this campaign, First Sergeant William Wilson ofCompany I, 9th U. S. Cavalry became the first and only African-American to receive the award twice. He is one of only 19 people who received a second Medal of Honor. He distinguished himself for his 2 actions against Indians in Red River, Texas and in pursuit of cattle thieves in New Mexico. In 1881, ISG Moses Williams saved the lives of three comrades during a 4-hour fight against Indians in the foothills of the Cuchillo Negro Mountains ofNew Mexico. He rallied his detachment by displaying bravery and devotion to duty while standing by his commanding officer in an exposed position under heavy fire from a large party of Indians. He was directly credited with saving the lives of his three comrades. Sergeant George Jordan of Company K, 9th U.S. Cavalry received the award for commanding a force of25 men at Fort Tularosa, New Mexico. While under attack from over 100 Native Americans, he was able to repel the enemy. He stubbornly held his ground in an extremely exposed position and gallantly forced back a superior number of enemy forces, preventing them from surrounding the command and saving the lives of many ofhis comrades. The heroics ofthese great Americans during the Civil War and the Indian Wars dispelled the myth that African-Americans were not fit for battle. African-Americans played a significant role in the Union winning the Civil War. The South refused to allow African-Americans to serve despite several notable leaders, General Robert E. Lee among them, feeling that they would be valuable assets to the South's efforts. During the first World War, 127 Medals of Honor were awarded. No African­ Americans received the award. Over 400,000 Mrican-Americans served in this conflict. Due to the intense prejudice and racism of the time, Black soldiers were not accepted in the military and were not allowed to serve alongside Whites. Most Blacks were relegate to serving as laborers. There were however active combat units like the 369th Infantry 3 Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters. They held the distinction of being the first American unit, black or white, to see combat in France, the first to cross the Rhine River in the offensive against Germany and was in continuous combat for 191 straight days. But none of them were honored for their heroics during World War I by receiving the Medal of Honor. (Lee 79) In 1943, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower felt that not enough Medals of Honor were awarded during the first and second world wars, so he personally upgraded a number of Distinguished Service Award recommendations to Medal of Honor Recommendations. But still none of the African-Americans who served in WWI were honored with the CMH. (Genealogy Quest 5) It wasn't until1991 when President George Bush posthumously awarded CPL Freddie Stowers with the Medal of Honor that the first and only Mrican-American was recognized for heroism "above and beyond the call of duty". CPL Stowers had taken charge of his unit after they were caught in a crossfue of machine guns and mortars. With over half of his unit wounded or dead, he destroyed a machine gun bunker and continued the fight. Even after being gravely wounded he refused to quit and urged his squad to press forward. He continued on until he died from his wounds, but his actions led to the capture of Hill 188 and caused heavy enemy casualties. He had been deceased for 73 years before he was recognized by the country that he had fought so bravely to represent. (Genealogy Quest 5) SGT Henry Johnson of the 369th Infantry Regiment became the first of several African-Americans to be awarded the French Croix de Guerre, their highest military award. In 1918, he and Private Needham Roberts valiantly fought off an attack by a 4 large German raiding party. He killed four and wounded 10 Germans while fighting off the enemy. The French recognized him for his heroics, but he was never recognized by his own country for those same heroic deeds. Again African-Americans answered the call to duty and joined in the fight during World War II. Over 1 million African-Americans served in the military and fought for freedom in Europe. But again, racism and prejudice was the trademark for the era. Of the 432 awarded, not one African-American was recognized. In 1993, a study by Shaw University, in Raleigh, NC, determined that there was a disparity and said that the political climate and Army practices during the war guaranteed that no Black soldier would receive the nation's highest award. The study developed a list of 10 African-Americans whom they felt had achieved the Medal of Honor's above and beyond the call of duty standard.