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ORIGINAL! MUSEUM QUALITY BUFFALO SOLDIER PHOTO ARCHIVE CAPT. WALTER BRUCE WILLIAMS 24TH INF 367TH WWI CROIX DE GUERRE
MUSEUM-QUALITY AFRICAN-AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY ARCHIVE
OFFERED HERE IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE, HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT TWO-PHOTO CAREER ARCHIVE CHRONICLING THE EXTRAORDINARY MILITARY LIFE OF CAPTAIN WALTER BRUCE WILLIAMS (1871-1928). BORN TO FORMER SLAVES IN PARIS, ILLINOIS, WILLIAMS WAS A BRILLIANT INTELLECTUAL WHO EARNED A MASTER DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IN 1894 BEFORE DEDICATING HIS LIFE TO BREAKING RACIAL BARRIERS IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.
INCLUDED IN THIS ARCHIVE:
- SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR ERA PHOTOGRAPH: A RARE, EARLY PORTRAIT OF WILLIAMS SERVING AS AN ENLISTED PRIVATE IN THE LEGENDARY 24TH INFANTRY REGIMENT (BUFFALO SOLDIERS), TAKEN IN HIS HOMETOWN OF PARIS, ILLINOIS.
- WORLD WAR 1 ERA PHOTO: A STUNNING, CRISP PORTRAIT OF WILLIAMS AS A NEWLY COMMISSIONED CAPTAIN, DATED OCTOBER 15, 1917, AT COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO—A VITAL BORDER GARRISON LINKED TO PANCHO VILLA RAIDS AND THE BUFFALO SOLDIER BORDER PATROL MISSIONS.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CAPTAIN WILLIAMS:
WILLIAMS ANSWERED THE CALL IN WW1 TO BECOME ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL 105 BLACK CAPTAINS COMMISSIONED OUT OF THE HISTORIC FORT DES MOINES OFFICER TRAINING EXPERIMENT. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 367TH INFANTRY REGIMENT (BUFFALO REGIMENT), LEADING BLACK TROOPS INTO HEAVY COMBAT IN FRANCE DURING THE DRIVE ON METZ. HIS UNIT INTENSE BRAVERY EARNED THEM THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE FOR VALOR. HE WAS ALSO AN ELITE MARKSMAN, WINNING THE 1919 A.E.F. GOLD MEDAL FOR SHOOTING IN LE MANS, FRANCE, BEFORE SPENDING HIS LATER YEARS COMMANDING THE ALL-BLACK JUNIOR ROTC UNIT AT LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL IN KANSAS CITY.
Service Record & Timeline;
- Spanish-American War & Philippine-American War: He originally served as an enlisted man in the 24th Infantry Regiment, fighting at San Juan Hill in Cuba and later deploying to the Philippines.
- The 1917 Commission: With the outbreak of World War 1, he attended the historic all-Black officer training camp at Fort Des Moines, graduating as one of 105 captains.
- World War 1 Assignment: Following his assignment in Columbus, New Mexico, he was attached to the 367th Infantry Regiment ("Buffalo Regiment") of the 92nd Division, serving in the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) in France.
CONDITION:
BOTH ITEMS ARE 100 PERCENT ORIGINAL PERIOD ARTIFACTS. THE WW1 PHOTO FEATURES A PRISTINE, DEEPLY LEGIBLE HANDWRITTEN PENCIL AND INK PROVENANCE ON THE REVERSE DETAILING HIS RANK, DATE, AND HOMETOWN. AN ABSOLUTE CENTERPIECE FOR ANY SERIOUS MUSEUM OR PRIVATE ARCHIVE OF BLACK AMERICANA OR U.S. MILITARIA.
(please see pictures)
THIS IS NOT A REPRODUCTION
PLEASE SEE MY 100% POSITIVE response AND BUY WITH CONFIDENCE.
