BLACK HISTORY NEWS & NOTES®!) MAY 2001 NUMBER 84 Here come the Generals: General Harry W. Brooks, Jr., Papers Donated Major General Harry W. Brooks, an overview of African-American Jr. (US Army, retired) and Brigadier participation in the military by Lt. General Norris W. Overton (USAF, Governor, Joseph Keman. Father retired) were honored with the un­ Boniface Hardin gave a portrayal of veiling of their busts at the Indiana Frederick Douglass and Andrew War Memorial on 24 February. Bowman, in uniform, did a reenact­ Two of the three African-American ment of his grandfather and Civil generals from Indiana, they are War soldier, Andrew Jackson graduates of Crispus Attucks High Smith. (Due to the efforts of Bow­ School in Indianapolis. The third man and other family members, officer, Brigadier General David Smith was posthumously awarded McKenzie Hall (USAF, retired) is a the Medal of Honor for his bravery native of Gary. The ceremony con­ in January 2001.) General George ducted by David Buchanan, mu­ Buskirk, president of the Indiana seum operations director of the war War Memorial Commission ac­ memorial, included an invocation by cepted reproductions of the flags of Immanuel Presbyterian pastor, Rev. the 28th United States Colored Earnest Newborn; greetings and a Troops, an Indiana regiment that black military heritage proclamation fought during the Civil War. Lt. from Indianapolis mayor Bart Governor Keman introduced both Major General Harry W. Brooks, Jr. Peterson presented by Deputy honored generals. Their bronze (US Army, retired) Photographs courtesy of Guy L. Miller, III Mayor William Shrewsbury; musi­ busts will remain on permanent dis­ cal selections by Mary Moss; and play at the war memorial. Brooks wrote the column for the General Brooks recently donated division’s newsletter from 1974 to his papers to the Historical Society. 1976 while he commanded the army’s The collection is contained in two famed 25th Infantry in Hawaii. manuscript boxes. The materials There are numerous photographs reflect the career of a United States within the collection, mostly of the Army officer. Harry W. Brooks, Jr. general with known individuals or enlisted as a private in the United in various locales. The oldest item States Army in 1947, and he retired in the collection is a photograph of as a major general in 1976. The col­ General Brooks at age two. There lection, MO75 3, contains correspon­ is photo documentation for much of dence, military orders, speeches, his military career from basic train­ awards and citations, programs, ing in 1947 to his last tour of duty writings, and photographs. While ending in 1976. The collection in­ attending the United Sates Army cludes images of General Brooks in War College, General Brooks coau­ uniform in Germany, New York, thored a report entitled “The Gath­ Vietnam, South Carolina, India­ ering Storm: An Analysis of Racial napolis, Korea, New Zealand, and Instability within the Army.” The Hawaii. Photographs of several report is in the collection, along with politicians and prominent individu­ Brigadier General Norris W. Overton copies of a biweekly column, “Tak­ als are prevalent in the collection. (USAF, retired) ing Care of Business.” General They include former Indianapolis BHNN_2001-05_NO84 mayor Richard Lugar (later United handful of moments of notoriety lege and the Army War College. He States senator), Indiana governor along the way, what makes General also completed the Stanford Gradu­ Edgar Whitcomb, Judge A. Leon Brooks a notable achiever is not ate School of Business Executive Higgenbotham, President and Mrs. those snippets of celebrity but the program. Gerald Ford, entertainer Sammy whole of his life.” Brooks served in the Korean and Davis, Jr., Uniced States congress­ BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Vietnam Wars. After receiving his men Charles Rangel and Tom Harry William Brooks, Jr. (17 May commission for officer training in Lantos, Honolulu mayor Frank Fasi, 1928- ) was bom in Indianapolis, 1949, he left New Jersey for some and National Association for the Indiana, the son of Harry William, additional schooling at Fort Lee in Advancement of Colored People ex­ Sr. and Nora Elaine Bailey Brooks. Virginia. From 1950 to 1952, he ecutive directors Roy Wilkins and He attended public school in India­ was in Japan working with a logis­ Benjamin Hooks. napolis, graduating from Crispus tics command in support of efforts General Brooks is included in a Attucks High School in 1947. He in Korea. When he returned to the collection of interviews, The Heart enlisted as a private in the United states, he was part of the Quarter of Success: Conversations with States Army at age 19. He retired Master Corps where he performed Notable Achievers, by Dan Tripps. as a major general in 1976, complet­ company-level duties at Fort Sill. In He is listed among forty prominent ing 29 years of a successful military 1956, he transferred to field artillery, individuals who have excelled in career. Brooks went to basic train­ attending school at Fort Sill. He various areas. The group includes ing in 1947. He married Doris Eliza­ went to Germany for 3 1/2 years Chaim Potok, Sandra Day beth Greene (17 March 1930 - 29 where he learned to be an O’Connor, Ken Burns, Red October 1979) in 1948. Four chil­ artilleryman. He also took advanced Auerbach, and Rev. Theodore M. dren were bom to this union: Harry artillery training. Additionally, his Hesburgh. Elaborating on why W. Ill (1949-), Larry (8 August military career included the follow­ Brooks was selected for inclusion 1950 - 28 October 1952), Wayne ing assignments: United States Tripps related: “General Brooks is (1953-), and Craig (1963-). Brooks Army Reserves, Syracuse, New who all of us have the possibility to married June C. Hezakiah in 1984. York, 1962-65; student officer become. He is a man who, through Brooks graduated from officer Command and General Staff Col­ commitment, perseverance, hard training school in 1949. He received lege, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, work, a bit of luck, and a network a B.S. degree from the University 1965-66; Vietnam, 1966-67 (during of friends and colleagues, traveled of Omaha in 1962 and a Master’s the summer 1966, he trained the 2nd the journey of life transforming him­ from the University of Oklahoma in Battalion at Ft. Benning, Georgia self from ordinary to extraordinary. 1973. Brooks attended the Army until deployment to Vietnam); staff And while there may have been a Command and General Staff Col­ officer Office of Assistant Chief of Black History News and Notes is a quarterly publication of the Indiana Historical Society Library. Intended in part to highlight the activities of the library’s Black History Program, it is issued during the months of February, May, August, and November. Essential to the Black History Program’s success is community involvement and commitment to the study of Indiana’s African-American heritage. Along with Black History News and Notes, membership also includes the quarterly Indiana Magazine o f History, published at Indiana University; The Bridge, the Indiana Historical Society’s bi-monthly newsletter; and many of the special publications as they are issued - all for only $35.00 a year. To become a member or for further information, write the Indiana Historical Society, 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 (317) 232-1882. Correspondence concerning Black History News and Notes should be addressed to Wilma L. Gibbs, Editor ([email protected]). INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION (Please make membership in one name only) Name Address City State Zip Occupation Membership Categories (Check One) □ Student $10 (Under 26 years old) □ Annual $35 □ Sustaining $50 I wish to receive the following publications (please check all those that you wish to receive): _____ Traces o f Indiana and Midwestern History, a popular history magazine _____ Indiana Magazine o f History, a scholarly journal _____ The Hoosier Genealogist, a family history publication _____ Black History News & Notes, a Hoosier African American history newsletter Signature_______________________________________________ Date 2 Staff, Washington, D.C., 1967-69; University, and the Media Studies missions should not be under con­ student officer Army War College, Center in New York City. He is also sideration for any other journal. All Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1969-70; a member of the Rotarians and the submissions must be postmarked no commander, 72nd Field Artillery Masons. He has served on the board later than 31 July 2001. Send manu­ Group, Wertheim, Germany, 1970- of directors of the Bay Area Urban scripts, along with a brief bio­ 72; Army Director of Equal Oppor­ League, San Lrancisco Opera, Ha­ graphical statement, to the follow­ tunity Programs, Pentagon, 1972; waii State Chamber of Commerce, ing address: assistant commander of Second Di­ First Amendment Center, and the Dr. Cynthia L. Lehman vision, Korea, 1973-74. From 1974 National Minority Supplier Devel­ African-American Studies Program to 1976, he was the commanding opment Council. BRK 427 general of the army’s 25th Infantry University of Illinois at Springfield Division in Hawaii. Highly deco­ P. O. Box 19243 rated, Brooks became a major gen­ Springfield, IL 62794-9243 eral in 1974. During his military Journal of Black (217) 206-7939 service, he received the Distin­ Studies [email protected] guished Service Medal, the Merito­ Manuscript submissions are be­ rious Service Medal, two Legion of ing sought for a special issue of the Merit Medals, two Bronze Star Journal of Black Studies, focusing Medals, and seven Air Medals. He on the topic of African-American was also recognized for his bravery Ohio Valley History Images in film and television. by two foreign governments. The Manuscripts should be submitted Conference Republic of Vietnam awarded him along with a disk copy (IBM com­ The seventeenth annual Ohio the Cross of Gallantry and the Re­ patible) and should be no more than Valley History Conference, spon­ public of Korea decorated him with twenty-five typewritten, double­ sored by Western Kentucky Univer­ the Cheon-Su Medal (Order of Na­ spaced pages in length.