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Harlem HellfightersHarlem Hellfighters is the popular name for the 369th Infantry Regiment, formerly the 15th New York National Guard Regiment. The unit was also known as The Black Rattlers, in addition to several other nicknames. One of the first units in the United States armed forces to have African American officers in addition to its all-black enlisted corps, the 369th fought in World War I as part of the 93rd Division (Colored), whose regiments were seconded to the French Army. The 369th compiled an astounding war record, earning several unit citations along with many individual decorations for valor from the French government. But when they returned home to the United States, they were subjected to the racism of the era, and did not receive the respect warranted by their service in World War I. During the war the 369th's regimental band (under the direction of James Reese Europe) became famous throughout Europe, being the first to introduce the until-then unknown music called jazz to British, French and other audiences, and starting a world-wide demand for it. The filker Michael Longcor is the author of the song "The Ballad of Esau's Sons", which describes the 369th's exploits during World War I without explicitly naming the unit.
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