The 369th Infantry Regiment, famously known as the "Harlem Hellfighters," was an all-Black unit from the New York National Guard that became legendary in World War I for its exceptional bravery and endurance, serving 191 continuous days on the front lines, longer than any other American unit. Nicknamed "Hellfighters" by the Germans, they fought under French command, earning numerous French honors, never losing a man to capture, and were the first Allied troops to reach the Rhine River, leaving a

The 369th Infantry Regiment began as the 15th New York (Colored) Infantry Regiment of the National Guard. It was officially organized in June 1916 in New York City, composed of Black enlisted men with both Black and white officers. Governor Charles Whitman appointed Col. William Hayward (a white former Nebraska NG officer) to command the unit, and Hayward set high standards for integrated leadership and respect. Recruitment efforts focused on Harlem’s African American community – at the time, ab

The 369th Infantry Regiment, famously known as the “Harlem...