Dev Patel.
HY 222-01
Film review – The Negro Soldier
“The Negro Soldier”, is a 1944 documentary created by the United States Army during World
War 2. The film was produced by Frank Capra. The army used this film as propaganda to
convince Black Americans to enlist in the army and fight in the war. The movie opens in a large,
neo-gothic church. A preacher is giving a sermon referring to different men in the army. He
talks about the achievements of African American over the years. Those achievements have
truly made a difference in Americas growth in terms of labor, military, sports and so on. He
mentions that the Nazi army is currently at war with the entire world, then begins to read
quotes from Hitler’s book Mein Kampf,
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The people gathered looks surprised realizing what the Nazis really
think about the African American race. He recalls the examples of the black heroism over the
history of America, going through all the time periods over the United States history. Using the
1932 championship bout between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling as a metaphor for the conflict
between the United States and Germany, the minister details the participation of blacks’ in
various struggles throughout American history, including the Revolutionary War, the War of
1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American War and World War I. Specific heroes of those wars-
-Peter Salem of the Revolutionary War, Thomas Wilson of the War of 1812 and Samuel
Washington of World War 1 are the various black military units, such as the 371st Infantry,
which distinguished itself in battle during World War 1.
He also goes on to mention that a statue had been built in order to commemorate all colored
soldiers with the engraving, “lasting record shall be made of their unselfish devotion to duty”.
Unfortunately, the Nazis went on to destroy the monuments in France that were devoted to
African American soldiers. He also stresses the fact that African American played a crucial