Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-12-14
SATURDAY. DECEMBER ii, 1918
RECORD OF OUR TROOPS WILL
MAKE BRIGHT PAGN In HISTORY

Somewhere in France.--Whcn this
war Is over and peace, lasting peace
declared, and the ncccssitous censor
ship has been lifted so one may men
ton the names Of army units, cities
and towns, the Colorcd historian
WI records the history Of the Color
cd soldier i'll this war will need no
imaginative powers to tell OF the scr
vice the daring deeds Of valor, and
tho Incompatible fighting Colored
men did over here in France. Vcrdun
No Mans Land, Belleau Woods, Chat
eau-1Micrry, scissors, tho Vcslc;
Argonne, Champagne, etc, are vast
urns which contain tho story OF how
Americas black soldiers fought; how
they dared, blcd and died "to make
the world safe for democracy "
Bordeaux, Brest, st. Nasair, Mon
toir, ct. AL, will forever tell story
of the big achievements of the Color
cd stcvcdores who helped to make pos
siblo the victories of the fighting men
at tho front. The "a NJ. c. A. huts
scattered here and there and in which
now labor SO splcndidly and self
sacrificingly Colorcd Y. NJ. G. A.,
workers will bear testimony, years
after they have been deserted, Of the
part these non-combatants took in
helping and buoying up our boys. The
story of how Crispus Attacks fell at
Lexington in 177G will be but Juve-
nile II Mother Goose" bedtime
story beside the story Of how our
boys fought, and fell at Champagne.
Fort Pillow and Millikcns Bend OF
tho Civil War will pale beside Cha
tcau-Thicrry and Argonnc. The
story Of the Spartans at Thermopy
lea, and Tennysons "Charge OF the
Light Brigade" rs a recitation by the
amateur clocutionists, will give place
to the charge Of tho Colored troops,
at Champagne. Tho story OF Our Col
orcd troops, combatants and non-com
batants in this war will make every
Colored man, woman and child Of to
day and tomorrow, proud OF their
race and proud they were such ono
hundred per cent Americans us to do
their bit cheerfully In this war. View
it from any angle you may; locate
yourself in any section Of tho United
States you may, you will find after the
war. that the "New Day and Now
Duty" our friends have been prophesy
ing for us will he present, and be
cause of the record of Valor made by
C0lorcd soldiers here in Franco,
While pushing the Hun back from
Chateau--Thierry into Wlhemstrassu.
These colored soldiers over here-now
quito Two hundred thousand arc
proud they are here. They would not
exchange the opportunity they have
had for rendering service to their
country for all the fablel riches or
Golconda.
When German militarism has been
crushed beyond restoration, and glori
GUS peace shall have been achieved
by tho Allies, these Colored soldiers,
such as survive will be eager to re
turn to the United States glad that
they had and accepted the opportuni
ty TO serve we'll their country and
civilization. Such as may fall on tho
field of battle--and many will have
VIII beam n smile of satisfaction, be
fore entering into eternity, that they
had the glorious privilege OF dying,
in, and for righteous cause to ad.
vance their race back in the States
and everywhere. Contact With the
men over here confirms this state
mcnt knowledge of things over here
makes it possible for me to declare
that the pages in history OF this war
Will transmit to posterity 10 records
OF atoical endurance and valor moro
lasting than the record mauc by Col
ored troops from Bordeaux to the
Rhine.