Harlem Hellfighters honored by honor guard: Mount Vernon’s Brush Park-Date Honored: September 3, 2025
Location: Washington, D.C.
A Century Overdue Recognition
BLACK EXCELLENCE! History was made on September 3, 2025, when the legendary Harlem Hellfighters, the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment of World War I, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States.
This recognition was decades overdue, but when it finally came, it stood as a powerful symbol of honor for the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of African American soldiers who defended a country that too often denied them basic rights.
Who Were the Harlem Hellfighters?
Formed in 1916, the 369th Infantry Regiment was one of the first African American regiments to serve in World War I. They earned their nickname, “Harlem Hellfighters,” from German soldiers who were astonished by their relentless bravery on the battlefield.
The unit served 191 consecutive days in combat, longer than any other American regiment during the war. Despite fighting in segregated ranks, they returned home as heroes in 1919, with the French Croix de Guerre (War Cross) awarded to the entire regiment.
Yet back in the United States, they faced racism, segregation, and silence, their sacrifices buried by the very nation they served.
The Ceremony on Capitol Hill
The September 3rd ceremony in Washington, D.C. was both solemn and celebratory. Members of Congress, military leaders, and descendants of the regiment gathered to witness history.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered remarks, acknowledging the Hellfighters’ bravery and the injustice of their long-delayed recognition.
Descendants of the soldiers proudly accepted the medal on behalf of their ancestors. Many spoke about the bittersweet moment, joy in the recognition but sadness that so many of the original fighters never lived to see this day.
Why This Matters for Black America
This award is more than a medal. It is a rewriting of history. For Black soldiers who carried rifles abroad while carrying the weight of racism at home, it is a loud, overdue acknowledgment: your service mattered, your sacrifices mattered, YOU mattered.
The Congressional Gold Medal now sits alongside the legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters, ensuring their names are cemented in the story of America’s freedom, not hidden in its shadows.
Quotes That Hit Home
Sen. Chuck Schumer: “The Harlem Hellfighters fought not just for freedom abroad, but for dignity here at home. Today, America finally gives them the honor they earned.”
Family of Pvt. Henry Johnson, a Hellfighter: “My grandfather fought bravely, came home, and faced hate. This medal doesn’t erase that, but it heals a wound.”
Talk Lounge Energy: We See You, Kings
This moment was not just history, it was healing. The Harlem Hellfighters were warriors who carried Harlem, carried Black America, and carried this entire country on their backs when many did not even see them as equal.
And now, in 2025, their flowers are finally being delivered in gold.
The Harlem Hellfighters did not just fight a war, they rewrote what it meant to be a Black man in America. This medal is not just for them. It is for every generation that came after.
