Monument to Southern African-American Heroes Approved for Fort Jackson's Centennial Park
COLUMBIA, S.C., Dec. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 371st Infantry Regiment WWI Memorial Monument Association is pleased to announce that the board of the Gateway to the Army Association has approved placement of a monument to honor the famed African-American 371st Infantry Regiment and their comrades who fell in France in WWI. The monument will be sited within Fort Jackson's Centennial Park. The 371st Infantry Regiment was formed at Camp Jackson (now Fort Jackson) in 1917, and, later, demobilized and deactivated there in 1919. Therefore, it is appropriate that the Regiment be honored at Fort Jackson.
Of the four African American Combat Regiments, the 371st Infantry Regiment was the only one composed of southern African-American draftees. They served with the renowned French 157th 'Red Hand' Division, and came out as heroes. They earned the respect of their battle-hardened French comrades and the officers with whom they served.
"THE RED HAND", sign of the Division, thanks to you, became a bloody hand which took the Boche by the throat and made him cry for mercy. You have well avenged our glorious dead.
General Mariano Goybet, Commander of the French 157th Infantry Division
Fundraising is ongoing to raise an estimated $292,000 to prepare the site, build, and place the monument in tribute to these brave men.
The 371st Infantry Regiment WWI Memorial Monument Association is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit created with the purpose of funding and placing a monument to memorialize the service and sacrifice of the 371st Infantry Regiment in WWI. More details are available at: https://www.371stmonument.org/.
For more information call:
Sonya Hodges Grantham: 803-586-2670
Russell Wolfe: 803-479-8343
SOURCE The 371st Infantry Regiment WWI Memorial Monument Association
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