War on Two Fronts: The Experiences of African American Soldiers During World War I

About this Chapter

War on Two Fronts focuses on African American soldiers, and on the military and post-military accomplishments of other African American soldiers. Though African American soldiers lost many battles along the racial frontlines due to the persistence of racial inequality and violence in the immediate aftermath of World War I, their sacrifice, courage, and military accomplishments laid the foundation for a more racially-just society for all Americans. This chapter provides summaries of key individual men, analyses of important primary and secondary sources, interactive learning activities, and reflective journals of the author’s trip to the battlefields and Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

The activities within this chapter will help students answer the following questions:

Who are some of the African American soldiers who fought in World War I?
What actions, personalities, or forces led to the racial integration of the Meuse-Argonne American cemetery?
What are some of the major military battles of the Meuse-Argonne campaign that involved African American soldiers?

This chapter is part of the iBook Bringing the Great War Home: Teaching With The Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, which was produced by ABMC in partnership with Learn NC and Virginia Tech. You can access individual elements of the iBook here on ABMC.gov, or you can download the full iBook through iTunes