The Battle of Henry Johnson is finally over

I thought I might have referenced the Battle of Henry Johnson more than once on the blog but this is the only post I’ve found which does so.

Johnson was one of the African-American soldiers in the 369th Infantry who served with my Grandfather in World War I. My Grandfather was white and was awarded the only Congressional Medal of Honor for the Division during the war. My Grandfather told my Mother that he thought the award was “politics” although the citation for his medal certainly sounds harrowing enough. But black Harlem troops were not likely recipients for such honors even when deserved as in Henry Johnson’s case. This morning I was pleased and surprised to hear on NPR that the US military has changed its mind and will now nearly a century after his exploits so honor Henry.

Ironically, I opened up the latest and most thoroughly researched book on the 369th last night. I’ve been asked by my Grandfather’s alma mater, Park College, to do some research of my own about my Grandfather’s ties with the Division for when this book’s author gives a speech in Kansas City this coming fall. Writing this is something I’m deeply interested in. Sadly, I’m in a Battle of my own, The Battle of Art Johnston. If the federal courts do not award Art attorney fees for the terrible assault on his character by the Duluth School Board that is the book I will be writing. Rather than consider such recompense the Board doubled down on their asinine accusations against Art in a censure motion that had the look of a cat falling on its side but picking itself up so as to convey the message “I meant to do that.”

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