REMEMBERING THE SOULS AT HANGMAN’S GROVE: The Journey Toward Clemency for the 24th Infantry with Bryant Pearson of Dallas and Kyev Tatum of Fort Worth from 2017 to 2024 in San Antonio, Texas

REMEMBERING THE SOULS AT HANGMAN’S GROVE: The Journey Toward Clemency for the 24th Infantry with Bryant Pearson of Dallas and Kyev Tatum of Fort Worth from 2017 to 2024 in San Antonio, Texas

“Looking back, the journey to correct the wrongs done to the 24th Infantry men is a testament to the tireless work of Bryant Pearson and Kyev Tatum, whose determination to honor the soldiers’ legacy will resonate for generations to come. Their collaborative efforts have ensured that, at long last, the souls at Hangman’s Grove are remembered—not as criminals, but as heroes.” Black Texans, Inc.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - The story of the 24th Infantry and their tragic executions at Fort Sam Houston in 1917 remains one of the darkest chapters in American military history. But thanks to the tireless efforts of Bryant Pearson of the Bowtie Boys of Garland, Texas, and Pastor Kyev Tatum of the New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, their legacy is being slowly rectified. From 2017 to 2024, these two men led a journey of prayer, advocacy, and activism aimed at securing clemency for these Black soldiers and replacing the headstones that had long failed to honor their service.

It all began in December 2017, when Bryant Pearson and Kyev Tatum made a pilgrimage to San Antonio to visit the historical sites related to the execution of 19 Black soldiers from the 24th Infantry. The men had been convicted following the Houston Riot of 1917, an event in which 16 white civilians lost their lives in violent clashes between the soldiers and local police officers. The subsequent military trials resulted in the executions of 13 soldiers by hanging, with 6 others sentenced to death in the following months. The soldiers’ graves at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery were marked with simple, unadorned headstones that failed to recognize their service or sacrifice.

During their visit, Pearson and Tatum toured the significant landmarks of the tragedy: Gift Chapel, the site of the trial; the barracks where the soldiers spent their final night; Hangman’s Grove, the location of the executions; and the graves where the soldiers had been hastily buried. At each stop, the men reflected on the profound injustice that had occurred. They realized that no one had ever formally requested new headstones. The only fought was for clemency for the soldiers.

In response, Pearson and Tatum crafted a letter petitioning for the soldiers to be posthumously honored, both with new headstones that reflected their true military service and with clemency for the wrongful convictions handed down over a century ago. Their efforts were not just a call for historical correction, but an act of healing for a community long scarred by racial injustice.

By 2019, the momentum gained through their advocacy was palpable. The Army had begun to take notice, and in early 2020, an interpretative marker was installed at Fort Sam Houston to recognize the soldiers’ executions. However, the fight for clemency and the replacement of the headstones continued. Pearson and Tatum, undeterred by the slow pace of bureaucratic processes, pressed on with renewed vigor.

The situation reached a pivotal moment in 2024 when the U.S. Army formally granted clemency to the men of the 24th Infantry, agreeing to overturn the wrongful convictions and recognize the men’s honorable service. New headstones were ordered, and the graves of the fallen soldiers were marked with respect for the first time in over a century.

For Pearson, the leader of the Bowtie Boys—a youth mentorship group in Garland that emphasizes community service and historical awareness—this victory was deeply personal. He had been inspired by the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and the importance of reclaiming this lost chapter in African American history. “We’ve at least made some progress,” Pearson reflected during a ceremony in 2024. “Now, the work continues to get it across the goal line.”

Pastor Tatum, whose involvement with the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas had seen him advocate for countless civil rights causes, also felt a deep sense of fulfillment. “We are witnessing history being rewritten,” he said during the commemoration ceremony at Fort Sam Houston. “These men were not just soldiers; they were brothers, sons, and fathers. Their sacrifice was erased for far too long, but now we have rectified that injustice.”

Their prayers, petitions, and advocacy bore fruit not only for the families of the deceased soldiers but for the larger African American community that had long fought to have their contributions recognized. The clemency granted and the new headstones serve as a reminder of the power of community-led activism in the face of historical erasure.

“Looking back, the journey to correct the wrongs done to the 24th Infantry men is a testament to the tireless work of Bryant Pearson and Kyev Tatum, whose determination to honor the soldiers’ legacy will resonate for generations to come. Their collaborative efforts have ensured that, at long last, the souls at Hangman’s Grove are remembered—not as criminals, but as heroes.”

As Pearson eloquently stated in 2024, “The arc of a moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice—and with faith, persistence, and love, we can make that arc bend a little faster.”