During World War I, 370,000 African Americans fought for the United States. They were highly discriminated against in the United States Army and Marine Corps where they were segregated from other troops. However, the 200,000 African-American soldiers who served overseas were not were not discriminated against nearly as much by the Europeans.
In fact, French commander Marshal Henri Petain praised African-American soldiers for their valiant effort during the war.
Black Soldiers Ready for France
From the New York Times War Portfolio 1917
This situation made the African-American population question their treatment in the United States. How could they possibly be discriminated against less in Europe than in their own country? They were also appalled by the irony of fighting for their country. How could they be fighting for democracy when they were not even allowed the right to vote? The prejudice and "discrimination that awaited them at home helped create among blacks a spirit of pride and and protest,"; this feeling "forg[ed] a new unity and a new African American" (783).
