African American Military History Segregated U.S. Army Training Battalion Portraits Fort Knox 1947

1947. Unidentified photographer, composite portrait photographs of segregated African American troops at Fort Knox, Kentucky, 1947, document the structure and personnel of Black training units in the final year before the formal desegregation of the United States Armed Forces, providing visual evidence of racial segregation within military organization and hierarchy. The material captures two distinct groupings within the 79th Training Battalion, 22nd Regiment, preserving the arrangement of enlisted men and commanding officers within segregated platoon and company formations. These photographs support research into African American military service in the immediate post-World War II period, particularly the persistence of segregation despite wartime service and the institutional conditions preceding federal desegregation policy.

Two black and white silver gelatin composite photographs on cardstock, each measuring approximately 14 x 11 inches, produced by Post Studio at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1947. One photograph presents 97 individual portraits arranged across the 1st and 2nd Platoons, with 50 headshots above and 47 below, while the second photograph includes 23 portraits of Company B. The images are organized hierarchically, with Captain S. Coleman positioned prominently at the top, followed by enlisted personnel in formal arrangement consistent with military chain of command. The soldiers wear standard tan uniforms and side caps of the period. The format and composition resemble graduation or unit completion photographs, indicating the training function of the battalion and the transitional status of these soldiers within the Army structure.

Created one year prior to Executive Order 9981 issued by Harry S. Truman, these photographs document the segregated organization of the U.S. Army at a moment when African American servicemen continued to serve in separate units despite their extensive contributions during World War II. Fort Knox functioned as a major training site, and units such as the 79th Training Battalion prepared soldiers who were often assigned to engineering, logistics, and support roles. The images provide concrete evidence of how segregation was maintained visually and structurally within training environments, just prior to the gradual and uneven implementation of integration during the Korean War era. Minor rubbing to margins and light age toning; both photographs remain well-preserved with strong image clarity; overall very good. A significant visual record of segregated African American military organization immediately preceding desegregation.