BACKWOODS AND RED DIRT ROADS: An American Story of One Family’s Quest to Carry Forward the Legacy of Their East Texas Buffalo Soldier Grandfather and Black Military Heritage, Including the 24th Infantry of 1917, the Harlem Hellfighters of WWI, and the Six Triple Eight of WWII.

BACKWOODS AND RED DIRT ROADS: An American Story of One Family’s Quest to Carry Forward the Legacy of Their East Texas Buffalo Soldier Grandfather and Black Military Heritage, Including the 24th Infantry of 1917, the Harlem Hellfighters of WWI, and the Six Triple Eight of WWII

By Black Texans, Inc.

Kyev Tatum and Family Celebrate the 369th Infantry Regiment and the 6888th Battalion During the U.S. Army’s 250th Anniversary with Congressional Gold Medals

Remembering, Restoring, and Redeeming History

TYLER, TEXAS – History is often celebrated in grand ceremonies, but sometimes it lives quietly in the pride of families who refuse to let it be forgotten. For Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., his children Jacob-Paul and Alexandria Christine Smith, and his granddaughter Torie Monroe Hunter, history is living, breathing, and passed down through five generations of dedication to Black military heritage.

Through their lineage, the Tatums maintain an unbroken connection to some of the most remarkable yet often overlooked Black military units in American history: the Buffalo Soldiers, the 24th Infantry Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters, and the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.

For Pastor Tatum, the mission is clear: to ensure that the sacrifices, courage, and stories of these veterans—and his own family—do not fade with time, but are carried forward with dignity, respect, and honor.

A Legacy Begins with Rev. Julius L. Leach

The story begins with Rev. Julius L. Leach, Pastor Tatum’s grandfather, a private in World War II with the Buffalo Soldiers. His service laid the foundation of pride, dignity, and respect that now guides five generations of descendants in both action and advocacy.

Equally foundational is Evangelist Carol Ann Tatum, Pastor Tatum’s mother, born in Pittsburg, Texas, and raised in Tyler, Texas. She instilled in her children the importance of family, history, and responsibility, teaching Pastor Tatum that it was his duty to keep the family story alive for generations to come.

“Our family’s story is a reminder that these legacies are not abstract,” Pastor Tatum explains. “They belong to real people, real families, and they deserve to be remembered with dignity, respect, and honor.”

The Hung Before Dawn Project and Historic Justice

Pastor Tatum’s dedication to justice inspired the Hung Before Dawn Project, a mission to seek recognition and repair historical wrongs for the men of the 24th Infantry Regiment, court-martialed and hanged in San Antonio in 1917–1918 following the Houston Riot.

From 2017 to 2023, he and a team of clergy, historians, and community advocates prayed, petitioned, and labored for clemency, recognition, and replacement of headstones at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In a historic and deeply meaningful ceremony, the men of the 24th Infantry finally received clemency and new headstones, restoring dignity to their names and solidifying a legacy for future generations.

“This is a full-circle moment,” Pastor Tatum reflects. “Five generations following the service of Rev. Julius Leach—and guided by the wisdom and faith of my mother, Carol Tatum—are witnessing history redeemed. This is why we keep the stories alive.”

A Young Musician Steps into History

In 2017, Jacob-Paul Tatum, Pastor Tatum’s son, received a historic invitation to join The 369th Experience, a modern tribute to the 369th Infantry Regiment Band, better known as the Harlem Hellfighters.

“We weren’t just making music,” Jacob-Paul recalls. “We were carrying the voices of men who had been silenced for too long.”

Through his music, Jacob-Paul ensures that the story of the Harlem Hellfighters continues to inspire and resonate with new generations.

A Daughter’s Service

The spirit of service continues through Alexandria Christine Smith, Pastor Tatum’s daughter, who proudly served in the United States Army. Her service bridges the lineage of her great-grandfather, her brother, and the family’s enduring commitment to honor the 6888th and Buffalo Soldiers and all Black military history.

A Granddaughter’s Brush with History

Perhaps the most vivid expression of this five-generation legacy comes from Torie Monroe Hunter, Pastor Tatum’s granddaughter and an 11-year-old child prodigy artist. Torie is also a founding member of the Little Miss Six Triple Eight, representing her grandfather’s church, the New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas, and honoring the legacy of Black military women and her family heritage.

In 2025, Torie was invited to the 12th Annual Lenora Rolla Heritage Center Museum Juried Art Show, hosted by the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society in collaboration with Sundance Square. Her portrait of Lt. Colonel Charity Adams Earley, commander of the 6888th, was showcased as part of Pastor’s Tatum Signed, Sealed, & Delivered Art Series, honoring Black women who shaped U.S. military and postal history.

Her work captured national attention—earning recognition in downtown Fort Worth Sundance Square, national news coverage by CBS’s Nicole Killion, and later placement at the Library of Congress during the 6888th Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony reception.

“Her talent is extraordinary,” Pastor Tatum says. “Even at 11, Torie is telling stories that lift the past into the present.”

A Father’s Journey of Legacy

On April 29, 2025, Pastor Tatum and his wife led a Texas delegation to Washington, D.C., to witness the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony for the 6888th.

On September 3, 2025, he will return to lead another Texas delegation to witness the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the 369th Infantry Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters—a remarkable achievement and historic milestone for Texas and Black military history.

“This is more than history to us—it’s legacy,” Pastor Tatum reflects. “To know that my son stood in the shoes of the Hellfighters, that my daughter wore the uniform, that my granddaughter painted the women of the Six Triple Eight—and served as a founding member of the Little Miss Six Triple Eight representing her grandfather’s church—and that we continue to honor my grandfather’s service—and the guidance of my mother, Carol Ann Tatum—feels like God connecting the dots across five generations.”

Full Circle in Texas

On November 8, 2025, the circle of remembrance continues in Tyler, Texas. Pastor Tatum, the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Association, and the Texas African American Museum will host the Buffalo Soldiers Veterans Day and Frontier Women Showcase, celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.

Among those honored will be Commander Debra Christian, descendant of Ms. Zorah Irene Christian of the 6888th, who will receive a Congressional Gold Medal and recognition for donating 67 acres of land to create a Texas State Veterans Cemetery near Longview.

“A full circle filled with compassion, commitment, and contributions—a reflection of Black soldiers and families who helped shape America,” Pastor Tatum notes.

More Than Memory—A Living Legacy

These stories—of Buffalo Soldiers, Harlem Hellfighters, 24th Infantry, 6888th, of soldiers, service, song, paint, and prayer—show that remembrance is more than ceremony. It is testimony. It is inheritance. It is family.

Through five generations—Rev. Julius L. Leach (grandfather), Evangelist Carol Ann Tatum (mother), Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. (grandson), Jacob-Paul and Alexandria Christine Smith (great-grandchildren), and Torie Monroe Hunter (great-great-grandchild)—the Tatums embody the enduring spirit of Black military service while ensuring the legacies of the Buffalo Soldiers, Harlem Hellfighters, 6888th, and 24th Infantry continue to inspire.

Theirs is not just a family story.

It is America’s story—one carried forward with dignity, respect, and honor.

About Black Texans, Inc. – The Rap

Black Texans, Inc.—we rise, we shine,

Tellin’ history bold, Black courage in line.

From the backwoods to Tyler, we spread the truth,

Legacy and pride in the heart of our youth.

Buffalo Soldiers, Hellfighters, Six Triple Eight,

Honoring the past, we celebrate.

We preserve, protect, and proclaim it loud,

Liftin’ Black heroes, standin’ proud.

From archives to action, museums and schools,

We teach, we inspire, we break old rules.

Five generations, family and story,

Black Texans, Inc.—glory to glory!