National Museum of the United States Army
Henry JohnsonSergeant39th Regiment, 93d Infantry DivisionJuly 15, 1892 – July 1, 1929Sgt. Henry Johnson. U.S. Army.Sgt. Henry Johnson’s actions on the night of May 15, 1918 earned him the nickname “Black Death.” Defending Allied lines, he saved a fellow Soldier from capture and prevented a German raid from reaching his French allies. However, the United States refused to recognize Johnson’s extraordinary actions. Johnson, along with hundreds of thousands of other African Americans to serve during World War I, was denied the same treatment as white Soldiers. Yet, Johnson courageously served the United States, displaying valor and determination above and beyond the call of duty.Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, William Henry Johnson moved to New York state as a teenager. Early in life, he worked as a chauffeur, soda mixer, laborer, and porter at Albany’s Union Station. Many of the opportunities enjoyed by white Americans were denied to Johnson but that did not stop him from answerin...