The Harlem Hellfighters: 09/26/15

The Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks and illustrated by Caanan White is a graphic novel account of 369th infantry regiment and their heroic part in WWI.

In WWI, the United States was reluctant to put it mildly to engage in the war that had erupted in Europe. The Civil War was still fresh in memory and now Europeans were dying by the thousands with the same tools of modern warfare.

As it became clear that the United States would have to join, men joined up. The 369th infantry was the Black unit and although the unspoken idea among the white leadership was that they'd be the porters for the war, they were trained in combat. They were also as patriotic and brave as any other unit — perhaps braver when taking in account the racism they faced at home and the inferior equipment they were given to train with.

Brook's words provide the history. White's artwork provide the context and the emotion. I recommend reading this book alongside Strange Fruit Volume 1 by Joel Christian Gill.

Five stars

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