Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-05-10
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,

The early years after the rcstora-
, ton of our Union saw the centraliHa-
ton of American soldiers descended
from African ancestors into four
popular units, namely: The Ninth and
the Tenth Cavalry Regiments and the
Twcnty-fourth and the Twcnty-fifth
| Regiments Of Infantry. If We add 10
these outfits several companies of
supply. headquarters and machine
guns and the large number of recruits
tunaSSigncd) that were drawing tho
pay of soldiers prior to June 10, 1916
enlisted men Of the extraction men
ton above exceeded the onc-tcnth
0-10) ratio generally allotted to
them in mutual federal affairs. This
excess percentage, however or any
fluctua;iOn that might have attended
it during the weary years of these
units military service did not hind
or their making Il splendid record.
1t is noted with regret that this re-
cord has been married at intervals by
certain intolcrahlo exhibitions.
While these soldiers have been con
spicuouS for their acts Of bravery and
faithful service, permanently commits
stoned officers Of the same race have
very few. This fact VIC charge pri-
marily to two conditions: Cd that
they were without congressional re-
presentation; (2) that the embarraSs
mcnts hcapcd upon the cadets who at
tempted to study the Federal Mill.
tary Academy, Wcs' Point New York
discouraged the most Of such aspir-
ants.
The entrance Of our country into
''rhc World War" awakened in the
friends of the Negro Il strong desire
to sec him represented in the great
struggle by officers rs we'll rs by sol
dicrs. Many thanks to all who stood
10y this idea until it maturcd its
fruit.
And now amid The joys Of 'Wcst-
ward hound comes the report that our
government will maintain in the fu-
'urc an army Of half million men.
by the old ratio tradition fifty thouS
and colorcd men will form 4 part OF
it. The events touching the lives of
the u. s. colorcd troops during our
association with the allied powers
against the common enemy have
clearly demonstrated to the men who
will constitute our quota of the now
army the multitudinouS advantages
OF having their own Officers. 1t Will
only be Il matter Of fairness and OK
altation Of the principles OF American
independence if colorcd officers arc
appointed TO command colorcd troops
How shall these officers he obtained?
Rcalizing that segregation, the pre-
Vailiug attitude toward tho Negro in
America is not ideal and that it will
sooner or later bring forth
within n nation we will commend the
future To "rhr God oi All Grace" and
so ahead, crossing the bridges as we
come TO them,
Our military Academy COM
monty known as ''Wcst Point, was
founded hundred and seventeen
years ago for the tactical training or
American youths. But Negro youths
are not welcome there. The method
demonstrated by the organization
and training OF the "Scvcntccnth Pro
visional Training Regiment Fort
Des Moincs, Iowa, greatly advanced
the cause Of tho Negro. The six hun
drcd men who won their commissions
at that school made the way posi-
Bile for many more hundreds Of their
comrades who were to attend the
camp schools during the next twelve
months. 1t may we'll be called a com
mon sense method for handling n deli
cate situation.
In consideration Of the facts here
in expressed il seems highly fitting
and proper that a federal military
academy with the same Status rs the
academy now in existence at West
Point. New York, be organized and
equipped for the training Of Negro
cadets. | present this idea to he
friends Of the colorcd race and to the
Congress- of the United States that
is about to rcasScmblc.
Faithfully subscribed,
JULIAN J.. BROWN,
Chaplain U. S. A., Paris France,
April s, 1919.