A Sacred Assignment: Pastor Kyev Tatum’s Journey to Honor the Forgotten Soldiers.

 



A Sacred Assignment: Pastor Kyev Tatum’s Journey to Honor the Forgotten Soldiers. Black Texans, Inc.



It all began with a conversation between a father and his son—a spark that would ignite a life-changing journey of discovery, remembrance, and restoration. When Pastor Kyev Tatum of Fort Worth, Texas, learned that his son, Jacob-Paul Tatum, a student at Prairie View A&M University and drum major in the band, had been selected to participate in a reenactment jazz band honoring the legendary 369th Infantry Regiment of World War I, he had no idea that God was setting him on a path with purpose.


Jacob-Paul joined The 369th Experience Jazz Band, which celebrates the legacy of the first all-Black U.S. military jazz band. Inspired by his son’s participation, Pastor Tatum dove into research about the famed—but often forgotten—Harlem Hellfighters. To his amazement, he discovered that 335 Black men from Texas had served in the 369th. These men not only fought valiantly on the front lines—they also broke barriers through their talent, courage, and patriotism, despite facing discrimination at home.



Determined to honor them, Pastor Tatum partnered with Texas State Representative James White, and on May 5, 2017, the Texas House of Representatives passed an official resolution commending the service of the 369th Infantry Regiment. This moment marked the beginning of a larger, divinely inspired mission to uncover and elevate the stories of overlooked Black military heroes from Texas.



Pastor Tatum’s next stop was the National Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Houston, where he joined Bryant Pearson and the Bowtie Boys for a planned celebration honoring the brave men of the 24th Infantry during the WWI Centennial. But when Hurricane Harvey struck on August 25, 2017, the event was cancelled. Instead of being discouraged, Pastor Tatum pressed forward—researching the dark and painful story of the Camp Logan Mutiny, where racial tensions led to the largest mass execution in U.S. military history.


With military approval, he organized a solemn pilgrimage to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. On December 11, 2017, he led the Hung Before Dawn Commemorative Project—a powerful memorial journey that included visits to the Gift Chapel where the court-martial was held, Hangman’s Grove, the soldiers’ original burial site near Salado Creek, and finally, the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.



There, he noticed something striking: the headstones of the executed men did not match the military standards. They were stripped of their rank and dignity. Pastor Tatum took immediate action—writing to military authorities to demand proper headstones. After years of advocacy, in 2023, the soldiers received posthumous clemency and new headstones—a powerful act of justice and honor long overdue.


But the mission didn’t stop there.



Pastor Tatum turned his focus to another powerful story—that of Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Robert T. McDaniel, his former middle school principal and a member of the historic 477th Bombardment Group. In his honor, Pastor Tatum launched a project to celebrate McDaniel’s WWII legacy and educate students at Morningside Middle School, where he once served as principal. Through this initiative, local youth are learning that greatness walked their very hallways.



Then came another extraordinary discovery: the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—the only all-Black, all-female unit deployed overseas during WWII. Pastor Tatum uncovered that 44 of these courageous women were from Texas, with three hailing from Fort Worth. In response, he founded the Texas 6888th Project—a bold and inspiring initiative designed to educate, empower, and celebrate these incredible trailblazers.



One of the most joyful creations of this project is Little Miss 6888th, a platform for young girls to embody and share this rich legacy. The initiative quickly captured national attention. On April 29, 2025, the Little Miss 6888th Ambassadors were invited to Capitol Hill for the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, and began collaborating with the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.




The 6888th story traveled even further—honored in Austin on April 22, 2025, and in Pelham, Texas, a historic Freedmen’s Town, on April 24, 2025, where the legacy of the 6888th, Buffalo Soldiers, and Tuskegee Airmen were all uplifted in a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend tribute.


The movement came home on June 10, 2025, when the City of Fort Worth officially recognized the 6888th and honored the three women from Fort Worth who proudly served.



Now, in a powerful full-circle moment, Pastor Tatum has been invited to attend the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony on September 3, 2025, in honor of the 369th Harlem Hellfighters—the very regiment that first lit the fire in his soul for this sacred mission.


And there’s more ahead.



On November 8, 2025, a monumental commemoration will take place in East Texas, honoring nearly 1,200 men and four women from the region who served in WWII—many of whom have never been officially recognized. This event promises to be a vibrant and emotional celebration of service, sacrifice, and Black excellence.


And most recently, on June 1, 2025, a new legacy began: New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, where Pastor Tatum serves, partnered with the North Texas Buffalo Soldiers to establish the Buffalo Soldiers Museum at New Mount Rose. This museum will serve as a beacon of education, empowerment, and inspiration, ensuring that youth not only learn their history—they live in the power of their legacy.


⸻


A Divine Assignment



Since 2017, Pastor Kyev Tatum has been on a mission—not just of history, but of healing. His work is not about looking back in sorrow—it’s about lifting stories from the shadows and bringing them into the light with dignity, pride, and purpose. From the trenches of World War I to the trials of Fort Sam Houston, from the skies of WWII to the halls of Congress, Pastor Tatum’s journey is a living sermon—a powerful declaration that Black Texans didn’t just serve America—they shaped it.


For Pastor Tatum, this is more than a passion project. It is an assignment from God—a sacred calling to ensure that the sacrifices of our ancestors bear fruit in the minds and hearts of future generations.






How You Can Help


You can be part of this mission to preserve, promote, and protect the rich legacy of Black military history in Texas and beyond.


Pastor Kyev Tatum

817-966-7625

kptatum1@gmail.com

www.newmountrose.com


Let us remember. Let us honor. Let us rise.


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