ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — On June 5 of each year, the city of Albany recognizes and honors a war hero from Albany. The day recognizes Sgt. Henry Johnson’s enlistment in the army and his courage on the battlefield. That legacy only remembered after the residents of Albany pushed for years to ensure he was given the honor he deserved.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan explained, “He volunteered. He signed up to go and fight on behalf of our great country.”
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The mayor and other elected officials, along with students from Henry Johnson Charter School, helped commemorate Henry Johnson Day with a wreath laying ceremony at the southeast corner of Washington Park where a memorial statue stands in his honor. This year marks the 108th anniversary of Sgt. Johnson’s act of valor with the 369th infantry regiment in France during World War I.
“Because of the color of his skin, he was only able to fight with the French army,” Sheehan said…