Documentary On Albany Hero Henry Johnson On WMHT
It surprises me how many people don't know who Henry Johnson there are statues and major road in Albany named after him . PBS/WMHT is trying to change that, they are releasing the documentary on Henry Johnson. Henry Johnson is an American hero who served during World War 1. This was a time when black people were discriminated against in the United States, and Henry went on to fight during World War 1 to protect the country and become a celebrated hero after his death.
Despite the obvious racism that Henry had to face he also had another huge obstacle in his way of becoming a great warrior/soldier. Henry Johnson was very small compared to other soldiers. This didn't stop Henry Johnson, while on watch in the Argonne Forest on May 14, 1918, he fought off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat, killing multiple German soldiers and rescuing a fellow soldier while experiencing 21 wounds, in an action. Henry's heroism was brought to the nation's attention by coverage in the New York World and The Saturday Evening Post later that year.
Like most black war heroes of the time, Johnson died with little recognition almost in obscurity in 1929, just recently On June 2, 2015 he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a posthumous ceremony at the White House.