Today, the City of Albany is celebrating the legacy of local war hero Henry Johnson. The event, attended by Mayor Kathy Sheehan and students from the Henry Johnson Charter School, marks the 108th anniversary of Johnson’s enlistment into the 369th Infantry Regiment during World War I. The ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the Henry Johnson Memorial Statue in Washington Park.
Henry Johnson, born in North Carolina, moved to Albany as a teenager. On June 5, 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Due to racial segregation, Johnson and his fellow soldiers in the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, served under French command. In May 1918, Johnson heroically fought off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat, saving a fellow soldier, Needham Roberts. For his bravery, France awarded him the Croix de Guerre, their highest military honor.
Despite his heroism, Johnson faced racial discrimination upon returning to the United States. He received no honors from his home country during his lifetime. However, thanks to the efforts of veterans and officials, Johnson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in 2015. Today, Albany continues to honor Johnson’s legacy with public displays of his medals and statues in Washington Park and Henry Johnson Park…