African-American soldiers arrive in a port in France in October 1918 during World War I. More than 350,000 African-Americans served in segregated units during the war, though largely relegated to support roles. Many eagerly volunteered, however, and the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the "Harlem Hellfighters," served notably on the front lines in France for six months against the Germans.

African-American troops often had to fight for respect in the military and received it. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and Irvin S. Cobb, an author, humorist and editor, praised the gallantry of African-American soldiers at a benefit for Circle for Negro War Relief at Carnegie Hall on November 2, 1918. The Times quoted Cobb as saying, "The color of a man's skin hasn't anything to do with the color of his soul. The value of your race has been proved over there and his value here at home is unquestioned."