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Period: to
Great Britain
African American soldiers serve in the United States Armed Forces against Great Britain -
Period: to
African Americans in the military
20,000 black loyalists depart with British Troops from the newly independent United States. About 5,000 African Americans served with the Patriot forces. Three times that many served with the British although not all of them leave the new nation. -
War of 1812
Two African American regiments are formed in New York to fight in the War of 1812 -
Period: to
Great Britain
African American soldiers serve in the United States Armed Forces against Great Britain -
Battle of New Orleans
600 African American troops are among the U.S. Army of 3,000 led by General Andrew Jackson which defeats British forces at the Battle of New Orleans. The black troops were led by Major Joseph Savary, the highest ranking black officer in the history of the U.S. Army. -
Civil War
The Civil War begins; free African Americans in the North trying to enlist in the Union Army are turned away. -
Abolishing slavery
Congress abolishes slavery in the District of Columbia -
Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the territory then in active rebellion against the government -
Emancipation Proclamation Goes Into Effect
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U.S. Navy
Robert Smalls, a former slave from Charleston, becomes the first and only African American to be commissioned captain in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War -
Battle of Port Hudson
Eight African American regiments take part in the Battle of Port Hudson -
US Colored Troops
War Department General Order 143 establishes the United States Colored Troops -
Battle of Cabin Creek
First Kansas Colored Volunteers fight in the Battle of Cabin Creek -
Medal of Honor
54th Massachusetts assaults Fort Wagner near Charleston, South Carolina; Sgt. William Carney becomes the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor. -
Equality
Congress passes a bill authorizing equal pay, equipment, arms and healthcare for African American troops -
Battle of Chaffin's Farm
Fourteen United States Colored Troops earn the Medal of Honor in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm in Virginia -
13th Amendment
Abraham Lincoln signs the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery throughout the United States -
Four All-black regiments
Congress authorizes the creation of four all-black regiments in the United States Army. Two cavalry regiments, the 9th and 10th and two infantry regiments, the 24th and 25th will become the first and only units in which black soldiers can serve until the Spanish American War. They become known as the Buffalo Soldiers. -
West Point
Henry O. Flipper became the first African American to graduate from West Point, which is the United States Military Academy. -
Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War begins. 16 regiments of black volunteers are recruited; four see combat in Cuba and the Philippines. 5 African Americans win Congressional Medals of Honor during the war. Black officers command troops for the first time. -
Brownsville Affray
In Brownsville, Texas, approximately 12 black troops riot against segregation and in the process kill a local citizen. When the identity of the killer cannot be determined, President Theodore Roosevelt discharges three companies of black soldiers on November 6th. -
First African American General
Benjamin Oliver Davis, Sr. is named the first African American general in the regular Army. -
Tuskegee Airmen
The U.S. Army creates the Tuskegee Air Squadron who will soon be known as the Tuskegee Airmen -
Montford Point Marines
The U.S. Marine Corps accepts African American men for the first time at a segregated training facility at Camp Montford Point, North Carolina. They become known as the Montford Point Marines. -
Womens Army Auxiliary Corps
Charity Adams Early becomes the first black woman commissioned officer in the Womens Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs) while serving at Fort Des Moines. -
African American noncombat soldiers
Nearly 100,000 African American noncombat soldiers are sent to Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Samoa and other areas of the Pacific to build roads, ports and airfields in the war against Imperial Japan. -
Naval Academy at Annapolis
The Naval Academy at Annapolis and other naval officer schools accept African American men for the first time. -
Army Flight School
The first black cadets graduate from the Army Flight School at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama -
Navy Destroyer ships
Two African American Navy Destroyer ships are staffed entirely by African American crews -
Tuskegee Airmen
The black 99th Pursuit Squadron (Tuskegee Airmen) flies its first combat mission in Italy -
Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
Named commander of Goodman Field, Kentucky; first African American to command a military base -
Executive Order 9981
President Harry Truman issues Executive Order 9981 directing the desegregation of the Armed Forces -
Naval Academy at Annapolis
Wesley Brown becomes the first African American to graduate from the Naval Academy at Annapolis -
Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr.
Becomes the first black Air Force general after serving in the Korean War, appointed to brigadier general by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Also becomes the first African American to command an airbase. -
James T. Whitehead, Jr.
Becomes the first African American to pilot a U-2 spy plane -
Captain Samuel L. Gravely, Jr.
Promoted to Rear Admiral; becomes the first African American to achieve Flag Rank in the U.S. Navy -
General Daniel Chappie James
Becomes the first African American four star general of the Air Force -
Naval Academy at Annapolis
The United States Naval Academy at Annapolis admits women for the first time. Janie L. Mines becomes the first African American women cadet to enter. She graduates in 1980. -
US Marines
Frank E. Peterson, Jr. becomes the first African American to earn the rank of General in the United States Marines -
US Army
Hazel W. Johnson becomes the first African American woman to be promoted to the rank of General in the United States Army -
US Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Colin L. Powell is named chair of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first African American to hold the post