SOULS MADE OF GOLD. Zechariah 13:9: A Semiquincentennial Congressional Gold Medal Tour – 2026.

SOULS MADE OF GOLD. Zechariah 13:9 (KJV)

  1. A Semiquincentennial Congressional Gold Medal Tour – 2026.
  2. Honoring Texas Heroes of the 369th Infantry & 6888th Battalion of WWI & WWII.





FORT WORTH, TEXAS — As the United States Army marks its 250th anniversary and our nation prepares for the 2026 Semiquincentennial, the U.S. Congress has forever etched a new chapter into American history.


In 2025, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal — one of our nation’s highest civilian honors — to two trailblazing all-Black military units whose courage and sacrifice reshaped America’s fight for freedom:

• The Harlem Hellfighters – 369th Infantry Regiment (World War I)

• The Six Triple Eight – 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (World War II)


Both medals were presented in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol — a hallowed space whose very name reminds us that these ceremonies were more than recognition. They were acts of restoration, giving honor to warriors who carried the nation’s burdens with unmatched resolve.



THE HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS – 369th INFANTRY REGIMENT

• August 10, 2021: The Senate passed the Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act.

• August 25, 2021: President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.

• September 3, 2025: Descendants of the 369th gathered in Emancipation Hall for the formal medal presentation.


Known worldwide as the Harlem Hellfighters, these soldiers fought 171 consecutive days on the front lines — longer than any other American regiment in WWI. They returned home among the most decorated heroes of the war, shattering stereotypes and expanding the vision of African American patriotism.


Texas proudly sent hundreds of its sons to the 369th. Their service carved Black Texans into the stone of military history and fueled the fight for equality on the homefront.



THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT – 6888th BATTALION

• April 2021: The Senate passed the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act.

• February 28, 2022: The House unanimously approved the measure.

• March 14, 2022: President Biden signed it into law (Public Law No: 117-97).

• April 29, 2025: The medal was presented at the U.S. Capitol in a moving ceremony.


This battalion of 855 Black women was the only all-Black, all-female unit deployed overseas during WWII. Known as the Six Triple Eight, they cleared a crippling two-year mail backlog of 17 million letters and packages in just 90 days — ensuring that soldiers could hear from home and hold onto hope.


Forty-four “Yellow Roses of Texas” served proudly in this unit, proving that the Lone Star State was home to women who kept the lifeline of morale flowing across the Atlantic.



TEXAS JOINS THE SALUTE


Invited by the Speaker of the House to witness both ceremonies, Pastor Kyev Tatum has committed to ensuring Texas takes its rightful place in this history.


Through Black Texans, Inc., Pastor Tatum has launched the Souls Made of Gold Semiquincentennial Tour — a statewide initiative to identify, recognize, and celebrate Texans who carried this golden legacy of courage and sacrifice.


“This is more than remembrance,” Pastor Tatum says.

“This is resurrection — bringing their stories back to life so the next generation knows the price that was paid.”



ABOUT PASTOR KYEV TATUM

• Senior Pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, Fort Worth

• Chaplain for the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Association

• Founder of Camp Buffalo Soldiers & host of Buffalo Soldiers Day at New Mount Rose

• WWI Centennial Advocate for the recognition of the Black soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment and other segregated units


Pastor Tatum’s ministry and advocacy work ensure that the next generation does not just read history — they reclaim it, carrying forward a living call to courage, character, and country.





CARRYING THE LEGACY FORWARD


As America approaches 250 years of independence, Texas stands ready to salute, teach, and pass the torch.


The Souls Made of Gold — the 312 Texans of the Harlem Hellfighters and the 44 Yellow Roses of the Six Triple Eight — remind us that freedom is never free, and that equality is a fight worth waging in every generation.


In 2026, as the Semiquincentennial celebrations sweep across the nation, Pastor Tatum and Black Texans, Inc. will bring these stories to schools, churches, military bases, civic halls, and public squares — making sure no child grows up without knowing the price of liberty.



BOOKING & CONTACT


Bring the Souls Made of Gold Tour to your city, school, or organization:


817-966-7625

kptatum1@gmail.com


Let us rise together to remember, reclaim, and resurrect the stories of our Texas heroes.

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