The presentation of the Distinquished Service Cross occured at 3 P.M. on the previous day. The photographer succeeded in harrassing the Black soldiers and officers by making a moving picture film of the hanging of this rapist private and not making a movie of the awards ceremony. When the photographer was asked if he made a movie of the presentation, he replied that he had forgotten about the awards ceremony.
The campaign against Negro officers began in the cantonments. At Camp Dix, New Jersey; every effort was made to keep competent Black artillery officers from being trained. Most of the Colonels began a campaign for wholesale removal of Negro officers from the moment of embarkation.
At first, an attempt was made to have General Headquarters in France assent to the blanket proposition that White and Negro officers would not get along in the same organization. This assertation was unsuccessful and was followed by the charge that Negroes were incompetent as officers. This charge was made wholesale and before the Negro officers had a chance to prove themselves, "Efficiency Boards" immediately began wholesale removals. As such, boards could act on the mere opinion of the field officers. The Black company officers began to be removed wholesale from the units and were replaced by Whites.
The court marshals of Negro officers were often outrageous in their contravention of common sense and military law. An example of the experience of one Captain will now be illustrated:
The Black Captain was a college man, with militia training, who secured a Captaincy at Des Moines. This was a very difficult accomplishment for any man. The Black Captain was the first Black man to be reguarded as an efficient officer by his fellow soldiers.
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J.Linzy-15