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Although this is “Black History,” it is also American History. I wasn’t (and you probably were not) taught this; and if not, why not? We originally re-shared this article from information shared by our friend Harvey Alston on May 24, 2016.
Seventy Five years ago in Columbus, Ohio on Memorial Day the eight Negro Columbus Police Officers lead the all Negro parade down Long Street to the Union Station. The Negro Columbus Police officers were Harvey H. Alston, Leonard C. Kearney, Leslie M. Shaw, Jordan Freeman, Edward E. Norris, Robert McCann, William Allen, and Robert Murray. They were leading the Celebrated 372nd Ohio Negro National Guard Infantry. The 372nd Ohio National Guard Colored Infantry Regiment was comprised of 900 men, who suffered 616 casualties and 107 deaths, but their advance was decisive in ending the war and the entire unit received the Croix de Guerre, France’s highest military honor. The historic black community parade also had bands and floats from the Masonic Blue Lodge, I.B.P.O.E.W. Elks, The Spring Street YMCA, Boys Scouts, Frontiers of America and the Urban League.
