A LEGACY THAT LASTS A LIFETIME IN LULING, TEXAS. The Joseph Ulyses Lamkin Story and the 369th Infantry Regiment of WWI.

A LEGACY THAT LASTS A LIFETIME IN LULING, TEXAS.

The Joseph Ulyses Lamkin Story and the Distinguished Lamkin Military Legacy. https://crbb.tcu.edu/clips/543/luling-town-history

“The Toughest Town… with One of the Toughest Buffalo Soldiers.”

LULING, TEXAS — Once branded the “toughest town in Texas,” Luling’s rough-and-tumble reputation was forged by cattle drives, railroad tracks, and a resilience born of survival. But out of its dusty streets came giants—none tougher or more trailblazing than Joseph Ulyses Lamkin.

A native son of Luling, Lamkin answered his nation’s call and became one of the fiercest Buffalo Soldiers to serve in World War I. He carried the grit of his hometown into the trenches of Europe, fighting with unmatched courage in the legendary 369th Infantry Regiment—also known as the Harlem Hellfighters.

From Luling to the front lines of France to the marble halls of Congress, Lamkin’s story is a Texas-sized testimony to the strength of Black patriotism, the power of legacy, and the endurance of truth. It is the story of a soldier, a family, a town—and a legacy that truly lasts a lifetime.

THE BUFFALO SOLDIER WHO FOUGHT LIKE HELL

When Lamkin joined the Army, he became part of one of the most decorated Black military regiments in history—the 369th Infantry Regiment. These men were Black. They were brave. And they were battle-tested.

Nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters, they fought harder, longer, and with more distinction than any other American unit in WWI—191 continuous days on the front lines. They never lost a trench. Never surrendered a man. Never bowed under fire.

The enemy feared them. The French praised them. Their own nation ignored them.

But history had other plans.

On September 3, 2025, in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol, Congress will posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th. Among the honored will be Private Joseph Ulyses Lamkin, and his descendants will stand tall to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor—bringing Luling’s spirit to the capital.

THE FAMILY THAT TURNED FLAMES INTO FLIGHT

Joseph’s legacy didn’t end with him—it evolved, soared, and took flight.

His son, CW4 (Ret.) Ulyses “Lam” Lamkin, was born in Luling in 1930 and went on to become one of the most celebrated Black military aviators in American history. A hero of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Lamkin Jr. was a beacon of excellence, bravery, and faith in motion.

His commendations include:

• Legion of Merit

• Distinguished Flying Cross (2 Oak Leaf Clusters)

• Bronze Star

• Purple Heart

• Air Medal (37 Oak Leaf Clusters)

• Induction into the Black Aviators Hall of Fame

Even after retirement, he remained a spiritual and civic force—a loving husband to wife Bettye Lamkin, who now stands as the guardian of the Ulyses Lamkin torch.

THE TOWN THAT SHAPED THEM, THE SCHOOL THAT LIFTED THEM

To know the Lamkin legacy is to know Luling, Texas—a place that taught survival through struggle, strength through sacrifice, and hope through education.

In 1925, Luling’s Black community opened a Rosenwald School, part of a visionary initiative by Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington to build nearly 5,000 schools for Black children across the segregated South.

That school in Luling became a sanctuary of scholarship and a springboard for dreams.

It gave birth to thinkers, builders, soldiers, and trailblazers like Joseph Ulyses Lamkin.

It proved that even in the darkest hours of Jim Crow, Black excellence would not be denied.

FIVE LEGACIES. ONE STORY. A LIFETIME OF IMPACT.

In 2025, when Joseph Lamkin is honored in Washington, D.C., it will not just be a military tribute—it will be a moral reckoning and a spiritual celebration of five enduring legacies:

• The Lamkin Family Legacy — A generational line of warriors, mentors, and faith-driven achievers

• The Luling Legacy — A small-town story with big heart and historical significance

• The Rosenwald School Legacy — A beacon of education that defied segregation and planted seeds of greatness

• The 369th Infantry/Buffalo Soldier Legacy — The embodiment of Black military might and American heroism

• The Congressional Gold Medal Legacy — A long-overdue honor that now etches Black valor into the national memory

Each of these legacies was built to last a lifetime.

Together, they will echo forever.

THIS IS MORE THAN A CEREMONY—THIS IS A HOMECOMING OF HONOR

When the Lamkin family enters Emancipation Hall this fall, they will not arrive alone.

They will bring with them the prayers of their forebears, the strength of the Rosenwald schoolhouse, the swagger of Luling’s past, and the fire of the Harlem Hellfighters.

Because when we honor Joseph Ulyses Lamkin…

We honor Luling’s soul.

We honor the Rosenwald vision.

We honor the Buffalo Soldier brotherhood.

We honor the truth that can never die:

Black legacies are American legacies.

And this one—like the man himself—was built to last a lifetime.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rev. Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. is a pastor, civil rights advocate, and community historian based in Fort Worth, Texas. A graduate of the University of North Texas School of Community Service and President of the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas, Rev. Tatum is a passionate steward of untold Black stories that shape the cultural, moral, and spiritual fabric of America.

Fort Worth, TX

817-966-7625

kptatum1@gmail.com

www.newmountrose.com