Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation:

369th African American Infantry Regiment Photographs, 1942- 1944, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Biographical / Historical

The men of 369th Regiment called themselves the Black Rattlers, Harlem Hell-fighters, and the Men of Bronze. The regiment was formerly known as the 15th New York National Guard Regiment, the first African American to serve with the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.

Scope and Contents

Over 170 photographs of African American men in military uniform, some of which feature a coiled rattlesnake, the patch adopted by the 369th Infantry Regiment which was stationed in Hawaii during World War II. 

Some of the photographs indicate names and additional data.  There are also many photographs that show the men in them at work and at play including the unit marching in a parade, body building poses, cooking, and also the men in civilian dress.

This collection also contains one photograph of an unidentified African American woman in an Army nurse uniform.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• African Americans -- Segregation
• Photographic prints
• World War, 1939-1945--African Americans
• World War, 1939-1945--Pictoral works