HONORED HISTORY: Father and Son Carry the Legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters.
Kyev and Jacob-Paul Tatum Celebrate the 369th Infantry Regiment and the 6888th Battalion During the U.S. Army’s 250th Anniversary
History is often remembered in grand ceremonies, but sometimes it is carried in the quiet pride of families who refuse to let it be forgotten. For Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. of Fort Worth, Texas, and his son, Jacob-Paul, that history has taken on living meaning through their connection to two of the most overlooked yet remarkable military units in American history: the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I and the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of World War II.
A Young Musician Steps into History
In 2017, Jacob-Paul was a freshman at Prairie View A&M University, playing in the world-famous Panther Marching Storm Band. That fall, he received an invitation that would connect him directly to a century of history—an invitation to join The 369th Experience, a modern tribute band created to honor the 369th Infantry Regiment Band, better known as the Harlem Hellfighters.
The original Harlem Hellfighters Band, under the direction of James Reese Europe and Noble Sissle, introduced ragtime, blues, and the early stirrings of jazz to Europe during World War I. Their sound was revolutionary, transforming European music culture while their regiment won battlefield honors.
The 369th Experience sought to revive that legacy by recruiting talented music students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other schools. For Jacob-Paul, playing in that band was more than a performance—it was stepping into the shoes of forgotten heroes.
“We weren’t just making music,” he recalls. “We were carrying the voices of men who had been silenced for too long.”
A Family Rooted in Service
That sense of duty is more than symbolic for the Tatums—it is deeply personal. Pastor Tatum’s grandfather, Rev. Julius L. Leach, served as a private in World War II with the Buffalo Soldiers. His service helped lay the foundation of pride, dignity, and respect that now guides the Tatum family’s work to honor military history.
As descendants of the Buffalo Soldiers, Pastor Tatum and Jacob-Paul carry that legacy on their shoulders—not only with reverence for their own family, but with gratitude for all Black soldiers whose sacrifices shaped America’s freedoms.
“Our family’s story is a reminder that these legacies are not abstract,” Pastor Tatum says. “They belong to real people, real families, and they deserve to be remembered with dignity, respect, and honor.”
A Father’s Journey of Legacy
That inheritance of service has drawn Pastor Tatum into moments of history in his own right. On April 29, 2025, he and his wife led a Texas delegation to Washington, D.C., to witness the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony for the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Known as the “Six Triple Eight,” these trailblazing women conquered a mountain of undelivered mail, restoring morale to millions of soldiers and families across the Atlantic.
Just months later, Pastor Tatum will return to Washington on September 3, 2025, for the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the Harlem Hellfighters themselves. For him, it will be a moment of deep personal connection.
“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, and that I now get to witness them honored during the Army’s 250th anniversary, it feels like God connecting the dots between generations.”
Full Circle in Texas
The circle of remembrance does not stop in Washington. On November 8, 2025, Pastor Tatum, the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Association, and the Texas African American Museum will host the Buffalo Soldiers Veterans Day and Frontier Women Showcase in Tyler, Texas.
The showcase, held at the Texas African American Museum, 309 MLK Blvd, will celebrate the Army’s 250th anniversary while honoring both soldiers and descendants who continue the legacy. Among them is Commander Debra Christian, who will receive a Congressional Gold Medal as a descendant of Ms. Zorah Irene Christian, a proud member of the 6888th.
Commander Christian will also be recognized for her extraordinary generosity in donating 67 acres of land to the State of Texas to establish a new State Veterans Cemetery near Longview. It is a lasting gift to veterans and their families—an act of service that echoes the selflessness of the soldiers she descends from.
Pastor Tatum describes it as “a full circle filled with compassion, commitment, and contributions”—a reflection of Black soldiers and families who helped shape America.
More Than Memory—A Living Legacy
“These soldiers didn’t just fight battles overseas,” Pastor Tatum says. “They fought battles here at home—against racism, against silence, against being forgotten. To see their names lifted up now is a victory for all of us.”
As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, the Tatums are living proof that rembrance is more than ceremony. It is testimony. It is inheritance. It is family.
The Harlem Hellfighters and the Six Triple Eight are no longer just historical units in textbooks or archives. Through the Tatums, they are family stories carried forward—music remembered, medals received, land dedicated, and names spoken with honor.
And now, alongside the legacy of Rev. Julius L. Leach and the Buffalo Soldiers, both units will forever be part of the Tatum family’s story—and a lasting reminder to remember our legacy with dignity, respect, and honor.
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