BACKWOODS AND RED DIRT ROADS: EAST TEXAS’ BLACK SOLDIERS WHO SHAPED AMERICA.



BACKWOODS AND RED DIRT ROADS: EAST TEXAS’ BLACK SOLDIERS WHO SHAPED AMERICA.


From backwoods homesteads and red dirt roads, Black East Texans have made extraordinary contributions to America’s way of life. With more than 12,400 Black men and women serving in both World Wars alone, East Texas became one of the nation’s greatest recruiting grounds for Black military service.


These brave sons and daughters carried the spirit of their communities onto the world stage—serving in legendary units like the 24th Infantry Regiment, the 369th Harlem Hellfighters, the Tuskegee Airmen, the 6888th Central Postal Battalion, the Montford Point Marines, and the 477th Bombardment Group. Their sacrifices helped secure freedom abroad and planted the seeds of justice and equality at home.


When they returned, they built churches, schools, and businesses, transforming their wartime courage into peacetime leadership. Their legacy is more than military history—it is a living testament to how faith, resilience, and service from East Texas shaped the American story.




BUFFALO SOLDIERS VETERANS DAY AND FRONTIER WOMEN SHOWCASE


Honoring the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army


Saturday, November 8, 2025

Texas African American Museum

308 Martin Luther King Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75702


Theme:

“Reclaiming Our Backwoods Roots: When We Reared Our Own to Succeed and Raised Our Own to Serve.”

Proverbs 22:6


This Veterans Day, we gather to honor the Black soldiers and frontier women of East Texas—those who carved a legacy of service from the red dirt roads of home to the battlefields of the world.


Presented by:

Pastor Kyev Tatum, Sr.

Chaplain, Texas Buffalo Soldiers Association

New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas 76104

817-966-7625

kptatum1@gmail.com

www.newmountrose.com


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NOT GUILTY IN TARRANT COUNTY! Joseph Delancy Stands Victorious with His Grandmother by His Side. Pastor Kyev Tatum, Sr.

Image
NOT GUILTY IN TARRANT COUNTY! Joseph Delancy Stands Victorious with His Grandmother by His Side. Pastor Kyev Tatum, Sr.  https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article301585229.html FORT WORTH, TEXAS - When the words “Not Guilty” rang through the courtroom, Shonette “Mama Shon” Hill felt the weight of the world lift from her shoulders. Her grandson, Joseph Delancy, had endured an unimaginable trial—accused of a crime he did not commit, fighting against a system determined to make him a scapegoat. But through it all, Mama Shon stood firm, unwavering in her belief in Joseph’s innocence. With the love only a grandmother can give, she had been his rock, his shield, his fiercest defender. When others turned away, she remained. When doubt crept in, she stood taller. And when the verdict came, she held Joseph close—her faith and love carrying him through the storm. This was not just a victory for Joseph. It was a testament to a grandmother’s unbreakable love. A FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, ...
Read more

Aunt Liz the Angel: A Champion for the Six Triple Eight. By Pastor Kyev Tatum, Texas 6888th Project.

Image
Aunt Liz the Angel: A Champion for the Six Triple Eight. By Pastor Kyev Tatum, Founding Director, Texas 6888th Project. WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 29, 2025, inside Emancipation Hall beneath the sacred shadow of the Capitol dome, the soul of America was stirred as our nation finally paused to say “thank you” to the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. That day, wrapped in dignity and destiny, the Congressional Gold Medal was placed upon their legacy. And standing at the center of this divine moment, like a hidden angel sent for such a time as this, was none other than Retired Master Sergeant Elizabeth Anne Helm-Frazier—known across our community, and to the cast of the Tyler Perry film, simply and lovingly as Aunt Liz. Let me say it plain: Aunt Liz is God’s gift to the memory of the Six Triple Eight. When the final living members of the battalion took her in, they said something Master Sgt. never forget: “Liz can’t do no wrong in our book.” And I declare today—neithe...
Read more

JUST A LITTLE RESPECT WHEN WE GET HOME: President and Mrs. George W. Bush Celebrate the Heroic Legacy of the 6888th.

Image
JUST A LITTLE RESPECT WHEN WE GET HOME: President and Mrs. George W. Bush Celebrate the Heroic Legacy of the 6888th:  https://www.youtube.com/live/ggYiNQ4b45g?si=avtQ8wO8Q2HCpIyb #RealRespect DALLAS, TEXAS - On February 12, 2025, the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, hosted an extraordinary event honoring the trailblazing women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, affectionately known as the “Six Triple Eight.” This all-Black, all-female unit of the Women’s Army Corps made history during World War II by clearing a staggering 17 million-piece mail backlog in Europe, ensuring that American service members received their much-needed letters from home. Their dedication and efficiency not only boosted troop morale but also shattered racial and gender barriers of their time. In recognition of their extraordinary service, the battalion was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022, the highest civilian ho...
Read more