Historical marker unveiling in June to commemorate Fort Des Moines’ Black officers
A marker unveiling ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. on June 14, at the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center in Des Moines.
A retired Black Army major who champions Black military history is leading efforts to bring national attention to Fort Des Moines — the first and only training site for Black officers — through a historical marker project.
On June 17, 1917, more than 1,250 Black college graduates began training at Fort Des Moines. Don North, a retired Army major and history buff from Carrollton, Georgia, is working with fraternities, a local civil rights organization and others to erect a historical marker honoring the contributions of the Black officers.
“My intent is to nationally commemorate and recognize these young Black men that stepped up to serve and proved that they were intelligent to lead and command soldiers in combat/war,” North said. “At that time in 1917, the U.S. Army’s racial views were that Black men were not intelligent to lead and command soldiers during war. Their inherent racial views were debunked when these Black men successfully showed valor and leadership during battles in France and Germany.”
North raises awareness about Black military history by reenacting the Buffalo Soldier Calvary worldwide and creating documentaries. He also installs historical markers around the country to preserve lesser-known Black military and civil rights history. The founder and president of Grid North Historical Productions, North’s website states: “Many African American Historic Moments Are FORGOTTEN.”
“That’s our goal — to research the rarest African American history that made major changes in American life,” North said.
The marker unveiling ceremony will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 14, at the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center in Des Moines. The event features speakers, a reenactment of storied Black Colonel Charles Young’s promotion and highlights the significance of the Black officers’ contributions to the military and society. North invited Gov. Kim Reynolds and other elected officials to present proclamations, including national and regional executives from four Black fraternities. The event also includes children’s activities. North encourages families to attend.
He said the recognition is long overdue. The Black cadets dealt with segregation and racism — and faced hostility in Des Moines. Most of the men served as second lieutenants, and many served in France and Germany as leaders and commanders in segregated units, he said. North wants to commemorate their sacrifices and bravery during WWI. He also wants to call attention to the challenges the men faced after the war.
“Their communities now counted on their leadership to debunk racism and racial incidents that swelled to a national fever in the 1920s,” he said.
Sergeant Isaac Woodard
Black officers who served in segregated military units and experienced and fought racism paved the way for gains in Black people’s civil rights, North said.
He led efforts to install a marker for Sgt. Isaac Woodard, a Black WWII veteran. A disagreement ensued as Woodard headed home on a bus on Feb. 12, 1946. “It’s 1946, and he stood up as a man, saying, “Speak to me as a man,'” North said. When the bus arrived in then Batesburg, South Carolina, the driver spoke with police. Officers beat Woodard, blinding him, North said. They charged him with a crime and didn’t attend to his injuries. Ultimately, the abuse Woodard endured, along with other Black soldiers in the military, reached President Harry S. Truman, who signed an executive order in 1948, banning racial discrimination in the armed forces, North said.
North partnered with community members and local officials for Woodard’s marker, including U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn. More than 500 people attended the event, which garnered national media attention.
“I got a tear. I was just overwhelmed, and that’s the good part,” he said. “That’s a good part to see — how individuals come together.”
Des Moines marker
North is working with the Des Moines NAACP and local fraternities on the Des Moines project. He hopes all Iowans attend the ceremony and commemorate the work, sacrifice and contributions of those who trained at Fort Des Moines.
“Their stories are the fabric of our country,” North said.
Fort Des Moines was also the site of the historic Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps/Women’s Army Corps, which is slated to receive a future marker. High-profile Black women, Charity Adams Early and Harriett West Waddy, trained there during WWII. Both achieved the highest rank of major. Adams Early was the first commander of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Actress Kerry Washington played her in the 2024 Tyler Perry movie, “The Six Triple Eight.”
Thank you for this piece. Much better event than a military parade for the orange man who wants to he king.
Will the Women’s Army Auxiliary also be honored with the historical marker?