General John “Black Jack” Pershing, Happy Birthday

General John Pershing, a republican, was born Sept 13, 1860. Did you know that “his first job was elementary school teacher for African-American children in Missouri? Pershing later gained the nickname “Black Jack” for commanding African-American troops in Montana and Cuba.

I didn’t know that. But Michael Zak does. He wrote the book on the history of the Republican party in areas of civil rights.

h/t Stix Blog

related: Black Political History IQ

Spread the love

3 thoughts on “General John “Black Jack” Pershing, Happy Birthday”

  1. Hi Richard,
    I don’t know where to send you for that info other than Michael Zak at the Grand Old Partisan blog. His book about the republican party involved research that most likely included a source that might have more info about your uncle’s unit.

    I’d also check out a good library or the Library of Congress for writings, if they exist, on those campaigns.

    Oliver North might also be someone to ask. He seems to be up to speed on all kinds of war history.

    Good luck. Be well my friend.

  2. How can i find info about Pershing and his African -American Troops in cuba. My uncle will Mann served with him there and in the campaigns against Pancho Villa. My uncle then later went to France during WWI but as we know African-Americans were not allowed to fight with white americans.However duiring some battle the African -Americans were assigned to fight alongside French forces and my uncle received the “croix de Guerre for his actions. I don’t know what unit he was in and I am trying to tracdk it down.

  3. Thanks for the H/T

    Michael Zak has got a good blog. I visit it every day to check it out. I haven;t got his book yet, but I will try and buy it in the future.

    We need to show what the Republicans did for the Civil Rights of all Americans and how they were the driving force that bought African-American out of slavery and into the mainstream of society and that the Democrats were the Party of Slavery and Jim Crow

Comments are closed.