The Negro Soldier (1944)

About The Negro Soldier (1944)

The Negro Soldier is a 1944 documentary film created by the United States Army during World War II. It was produced by Frank Capra as a follow-up to his successful film series Why We Fight. The army used the film as propaganda to convince black Americans to enlist in the army and fight in the war.

The Negro Soldier opens in a large, neo-gothic style church. From the point of view of the congregation, we see a preacher giving a sermon referring to different men in the army. The camera pans to different members of the army seated in the audience as the preacher mentions each one. This preacher, played by Carlton Moss, then launches into a speech reflecting on the achievements of African-Americans over the years. Famous boxers and track stars are mentioned as defeating Germany in matches such as the Berlin Olympic Games.

Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article The Negro Soldier (text available under CC BY-SA 4.0).