by Captain Timothy Hisa, Small Wars Journal Op-Ed
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Barack Obama, and the U.S. Military (Full PDF Article)
On Martin Luther King Jr. day many federal employees including military personnel not deployed will enjoy a federal holiday. This year's Martin Luther King Jr. day will be of greater significance given that Barack Obama will be sworn in as the first African-American President and Commander in Chief the following day. In 2007, Barack Obama hailed the Tuskegee Airmen as trailblazers for racial equality, and in a fitting tribute, he has invited the surviving soldiers of this unit to his inauguration.
The Tuskegee Airmen indeed paved the way for African-Americans but it would be a historical oversight to overlook the accomplishments of the many other African-American Soldiers who have distinguished themselves in America's history. From the heroic deeds of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment which captured Fort Wagner from the Confederates and is recalled in the movie Glory, to the Buffalo Soldiers who settled the Western Frontiers.
The Army continues to honor the tradition of the Buffalo Soldiers and the accomplishments of African Americans in the military by ensuring the lineage, history, and tradition of those units live on. For example, the 24th Infantry Regiment which was activated in 1869 specifically for black soldiers continues to serve the nation as an active army unit. The black soldiers of 24th Infantry served with great distinction in numerous wars: Spanish-American War, the Pacific in World War II, and the Korean War. I am especially fond of 1-24 Infantry aka "Deuce-Four" because it was my first unit and the one which I am regimentally affiliated with.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Barack Obama, and the U.S. Military (Full PDF Article)
