Celebrating African American Military Milestones
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Gabrielle “Gabby” Womack
Alongside churches and schools, the military is one of the oldest and most important institutions in the U.S. The U.S. Armed Forces include the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. Even though an army has existed since the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775, the official U.S. military was not formed until the U.S. Congress had its first session on September 29, 1789.
African Americans have served in every war on American soil and abroad since the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War. However, they served predominantly in segregated units. When allowed admission, African Americans faced harsh mistreatment in the military academies, received demeaning military assignments (often relegated to the galley and not to combat), and were denied promotions and the opportunity to serve as leaders.