The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum is highlighting the story of the African–American 371st Infantry Regiment as part of the museum’s exhibit on WWI, “Forgotten Stories: SC Fights the Great War.”

The 371st Infantry Regiment was formed in August 1917 of African– American draftees mostly from South Carolina and their white officers. These South Carolinians were sent into the bloody trenches of WWI and came out as heroes having earned 146 individual citations for bravery and eventually a Congressional Medal of Honor.

After training at Camp Jackson, the unit arrived on the Western Front in April 1918 and was placed under the command of the French Army because of their desperate need for new troops and out of fear that racial tension might erupt between black and white American soldiers. The unit was reorganized to fit the French army structure and spent the spring of 1918 training in French tactics. The regiment was put into battle to relieve the exhausted French and allied Italian units and fought until the end of the war.

In February 1919, a community reception was held at Allen University in honor of the return of the 371st and the two flags of the regiment that were carried in France were presented to the community. Those flags are now part of the collection of the SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.

“Forgotten Stories” features one of these flags on display for the first time in the museum’s history. The exhibit also includes a life–like sculpted mannequin representing a 371st soldier, uniforms, and other items from the regiment including the 371st medal and 371st Red Hand Patch.

Allen Roberson, executive director of the Relic Room says that this story of bravery is a key part of the state’s role in World War I and it’s great to be able to share it with museum visitors. It will be featured throughout the month of February. The exhibit “Forgotten Stories: SC Fights the Great War” will be displayed until the fall of 2010.