Harlem Hellfighters

A century ago, after intensive lobbying by civic leaders, an all-black regiment was formed in NY as the US geared up to enter World War I. The group, which began as NY's 15th infantry with most members from Harlem, faced intense racism at home as they trained and later confronted shocking discrimination in the field during the war. They were assigned to fight the Germans not alongside US troops, but as part of the French Army; their own countrymen refused to fight with them. Even so, the men fought ferociously in the horror filled trenches of France. They displayed extraordinary courage in battle after battle, earning the name Harlem Hellfighters and France's highest military honor, the Croix de Guerre. The Hellfighters spent an unprecedented 191 days in combat, longer than any other American unit in the war. But unlike WWII's famed Tuskegee Airmen, their story has not really been told. Our four hour mini-series event will bring the tale of this remarkable regiment to life through the eyes of three men: band leader James Europe and Privates Henry Johnson and Horace Pippin. Archive of WWI will weave seamlessly with dramatic recreation and interviews to bring the complex narrative of these unsung American heroes vividly to life. Our documentary couldn't be timelier. In the summer of 2021, members of the Harlem Hellfighters finally were awarded posthumously the Congressional Medals of Honor they so long deserved.