ING CAMP FOR
NEGRO OFFICERS--FIRST TIME IN ARTILLERY--COMPLETE RACIAL SEGREGATION.

When the call to war was sounded by President Wilson, no response was
more swift and unhalting than that of the Negro in America. Before our
country was embroiled the black men of Africa had already contributed
their share in pushing back the Hun. When civilization was tottering and
all but overthrown, France and England were glad to avail themselves of
the aid of their Senegalese, Algerian, Soudanese and other troops from
the tribes of Africa. The story of their valor is written on the
battlefields of France in imperishable glory.

Considering the splendid service of the--in many cases--half wild blacks
from the region of the equator, it seems strange that our government did
not hasten sooner and without demur to enlist the loyal Blacks of this
country with their glowing record in former wars, their unquestioned
mental attainments, their industry, stamina and self reliance. Yet at
the beginning of America's participation in the war, it was plain that
the old feeling of intolerance; the disposition to treat the Negro
unfairly, was yet abroad in the land.

He was willing; anxious to volunteer and offered himself in large
numbers at every recruiting station, without avail. True, he was
accepted in numerous instances, but the condition precedent, that of
filling up and rounding out the few Negro Regular and National Guard
organizations below war strength, was chafing and humiliating. Had the
response to the call for volunteers been as ardent among all classes of
our people; especially the foreign born, as it was from the American
Negro, it is fair to say that the selective draft would not necessarily
have been so extensive.

It was not until the selective draft was authorized and the organization
of the National Army began, that the Negro was given his full
opportunity. His willingness and eagerness to serve were again
demonstrated. Some figures dealing with the matter, taken from the
official report of the Provost Marshall General (General E.H. Crowder)
will be cited later on.

Of the four colored regiments in the Regular Army, the 24th infantry had
been on the Mexican border since 1916; the 25th infantry in Hawaii all
the years of the war; the Ninth cavalry in the Philippines since 1916,
and the 10th cavalry had been doing patrol and garrison duty on the
Mexican border and elsewhere in the west since early in 1917. These four
regi