The First African American U.S. General Selected
General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. made history on October 25, 1940, when he became the first African American General in the United States Army. Davis first joined the military in 1898, after the beginning of the Spanish-American War.
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., was born in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 1877. He attended Howard University before embarking on his military career. When he enlisted in 1898 for the Spanish-American War, Davis entered as a temporary first lieutenant of the 8th United States Volunteer Infantry.
The following year, he left the volunteer infantry unit and re-enlisted in the regular army as a private in the Buffalo Soldiers 9th Calvary Regiment. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1901. Despite his exemplary service with the famed Buffalo Soldiers, Davis found himself being placed in positions such as a college ROTC instructor and as a National Guard advisor.
Davis worked with Wilberforce University as a Professor of Military Science and Tactics and also served in the same role at Tuskegee University. Davis found himself far from the front lines, a move intended to avoid putting him in command of white troops or officers. Even after Davis was promoted to the front lines, it was only for brief periods.
The lack of mobility made it hard for Davis, but he slowly rose through the ranks and received his first independent command, the 369th National Guard Infantry Regiment in 1938. Just two years after his first independent command, Davis was promoted to brigadier general in October of 1940, making him the first African American to do so. Davis also served as an advisor on race relations during World War II.
As a soldier, Davis has received several awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star, Croix de Guerre with Palm from France and the Star of Africa from Liberia. He paved the way for many minorities to move up the ranks. His son, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., also made history when he became the first African American General in the United States Air Force. General Davis died on November 26, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois, at age 93.
