The Negro Soldier

A U.S. Army documentary produced under Frank Capra's supervision and directed by Stuart Heisler, The Negro Soldier was a landmark in the portrayal of African Americans in the military. Framed as a sermon in a Black church, it traces the contributions of Black soldiers from the American Revolution through the Spanish-American War and into World War II, intercut with footage of training and combat. The film was made to recruit Black soldiers and to push back against segregation within the ranks, and it was required viewing for all U.S. Army troops. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the film is in the public domain.