Black American Radicalism and the First World War: The Secret Files of the Military Intelligence Division

Abstract

In 1986, the National Archives released previously classified material regarding U.S. Army surveillance of African-Americans from 1917 to 1941. The documents relate primarily to the First World War and the immediate post-war years. U.S. Army surveillance of American citizens is not an especially startling revelation; however, what is remarkable is the fact that a principal officer charged with "spying" on blacks during the Great War was himself black and many prominent black public figures cooperated in the effort. This article examines this largely unknown aspect of American history in terms of our understanding of the black experience, the legacy of racism in the larger society, and the intersection of both in the U.S. military.