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President Jari Villanueva of the Doughboy Foundation will be a speaker at a ceremony dedicating a marker honoring 1,250 Black College Graduates Undergoing US Army Officer Training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, in 1917 during World War I. His talk will focus on the contributions of the Black Army officers who trained there and on the contributions of Black music played in France during the war. The ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, 2025 @ 1:00 pm (CST) on the grounds of Fort Des Moines Museum, Iowa.

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Press Release April 23, 2025

A Georgia Man Leads National Committee to Honoring 1,250 Black College Graduates Undergoing US Army Officer Training at Fort Des Moines Iowa in 1917 during WWI.

Don North is a Historian focusing on African American military history. In August 2024, the Iowa Historical Society approved his application to erect a Iowa and National Historical Marker Honoring these black officer candidates training.
North explains that the candidates were heavily recruited from all states. Their conviction was to serve in the Great War. It wasn’t easy becoming an officer. The US Army purposely refuse to recruit black officers. With pressure from Black leaders around the country, the US Army finally realized they would need additional black officers to lead and command segregated soldiers in combat.
The historical marker unveiling ceremony is scheduled on Saturday June 14, 2025 @ 1:00pm (CST) on the grounds of Fort Des Moines Museum, Iowa.
North is a former US Army Officer. He is a 1980 graduate of University of West Georgia. He can be contacted at 678 906 3077 for any additional information.

The ceremony is free and open to the public.

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