Black Iowans in the Defense of the Nation, 1863-2000 By Willian Morris By Willian Morris Military service and sacrifice have been the keys to political, economic and social progress for black Americans from the Revolutionary war to the present. From Crispus Attucks’ death in the Boston Massacre in 1770 to the ongoing war in the Middle East, African-Americans have contributed mightily to the cause of liberty. In Iowa, blacks were banned from the state militia, but the Civil War changed that. 700 black Iowans served in the 1st Iowa Volunteers of African descent despite being paid $10 per month rather than $13 paid to whites. Their major battle took place at Wallace’s Ferry near Helena, AR and their bravery changed the hearts and minds of Gen. Dodge and Gov. Kirkwood who supported black male suffrage in 1868, making Iowa the first northern state to guarantee black men’s right to vote and, in the mind of Ulysses S. Grant, “the Bright and Radical Star.” After the Civil War, Congress created four black units: the 9th & 10th cavalries and 24th & 25th infantries which fought Native Americans on the Great Plains between 1866 and the Spanish American War. Col. Edward Hatch of Muscatine commanded the 9th for some 20 years and his high regard for his men and disregard for discrimination against them led to the involuntary end of his military career. The bestknown Iowan of the “Buffalo Soldiers” was George H. Woodson who studied law at Howard U. before settling in Buxton and the Des Moines. When the United States entered WW1 he inspired the candidates to the Black Officers Training Camps at Ft. Des Moines by declaring: “With less than 30 days’ notice the superb youth, the very best brain, vigor, and manhood of the Race gave up comfort, position, fuBlack Iowans in the Defense of the Nation, 1863-2000 Left Photo: Vincent E. Lewis beside “The Judge” 1969. Right Photo: Charles P. Howard, Sr. ture promise and outlook [and] from the North, South, East and West started on their voluntary march to Ft. Des Moines in answer to the call.” Among the men at Ft. Des Moines, two of the most notable were James B. Morris, Sr. and Charles P. Howard, Sr. Both earned commissions, served in France and returned to Des Moines after the war to establish careers in law, civil rights and journalism. Morris and his wife were perennial leaders of the NAACP in Des Moines as well as Iowa and Nebraska. Howard was more militant. The militancy was increased by WW2. Ft. Des Moines because the site where the gender barrier was broken by the 71,00 women who trained there at the first and largest Women’s Army Corps Training Camp. Black Iowans like James B. Morris, Jr. because the first black officer to command white troops. Guy Smith because the first black officer in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence. His brothers Luther and Thomas became “Tuskegee Airmen,” and Virgil Dixon served in the 761st Tank battalion, known as “The Black Panthers”. Vernon Baker of Clarinda was the only Black Iowan to earn the Medal of Honor during WW2 but not until 1997. Fifty years earlier, Charles Howard successfully sued Katz Drug Store for refusing Edna Griffin, A WAC veteran, and others ice cream cones and he strongly supported Henry A. Wallace’s campaign for president on the Progressive Party ticket in 1948 with the slogan, “Jim Crow must go.” This led to his being labeled a communist and harassed out of the state. The Korean War saw the use of integrated units for the first time, but men like George W. Johnson of Marshalltown experienced discrimination first-hand. So did Al Downey, Sr. and the black Iowans who served in Vietnam like Vincent Lewis of Des Moines and Herbert Rogers. Similar racial discrimination plagued those like Michael Galbreath who served in an Iowa National Guard unit in the 1st Gulf War. Yet, Lt. General Russell C. Davis, ad Drake Law grand and American Republican Insurance executive, was promoted to commander of all National Guard units in 1999, testifying to the truth voiced by S. Joe Brown, who attended The WW1 Black Officers Camp that Black Iowans services in our nations’ military “has ever been [a voice] for freedom and equality of all men [and women] regardless of their race or color”. 25
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