Monday, February 18, 2019

Today -100: February 18, 1919: Oh, You Black Death


An IWW strike among Butte, Montana copper miners protesting a wage cut (from $5.75 a day down to $4.75) fails.

A large crowd watches the 369th Infantry march up 5th Avenue, the first New York regiment to return from Europe. The 369th is a black unit, or “blutdurstig schwarzemänner” (bloodthirsty black men) as the Germans called them, so it’s nice to see them greeted with candy, coins and cigarettes (the 3 c’s). Cheers are especially loud for Sgt Henry Johnson, who fended off a German attack with his bolo knife after his gun jammed. “Oh, You Black Death,” the spectators shout affectionately.

The War Office announces that US troops will be withdrawn soon from northern Russia (soon being when the weather is better).

Headline of the Day -100: 


South Carolina is the most illiterate state.


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1 comment:

  1. Among many interesting things about the 369th (the Harlem Hellfighters) was their band, led by Lieutenant James Europe, a leading black bandleder in prewar NYC. Intoduced contemporary American music in Europe. in WWII, of course, the US got a white man for that job.

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