On Saturday, October 27, 1917, Seattle honored the first contingent of African Americans from Washington State to be accepted into the U. S. Army. A luncheon for 1,000 people was held at the Y.M.C.A., followed by a parade through downtown Seattle. It is estimated that between 370,000 and 400,000 African Americans served during World War I, in combat units and as stevedores, camp laborers, and logistical support.
In this image, some of the forty-two Black enlistees pose in downtown Seattle before their departure later that day to the newly built Camp Lewis in southern Pierce County.
Caption information source: The Seattle Sunday Times, October 28, 1917, p. 5 Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.
ID Number: 2000.107.233.10.12
Date: 1917
Physical Description: 1 photographic print : b&w ; 7.25 x 9.5 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant.
