The Army has canceled the courts-martial convictions of 110 Black soldiers tried in connection with the World War I-era Houston riot and has recharacterized their military service as honorable.
"After a thorough review, the Board has found that these soldiers were wrongly treated because of their race and were not given fair trials," Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said in a statement on Monday. "By setting aside their convictions and granting honorable discharges, the Army is acknowledging past mistakes and setting the record straight."
The Houston riot took place on Aug. 23, 1917, following months of racial provocations against members of the 24th Infantry Regiment, whose soldiers were among those dubbed "buffalo soldiers."
Following the assault of two Black soldiers and amid rumors of additional threats, a group of armed soldiers marched into the city, where clashes erupted and left 19 people dead.
The Army convicted 110 soldiers following the riots on mutiny, assault and murder charges. More than 60 served life sentences, and 19 were hanged.
According to the Army, the first set of executions occurred in secrecy and within a day of sentencing, leading the military service branch to "implement an immediate regulatory change which prohibited future executions without review by the War Department and the President."
In 2020 and 2021, the Army was petitioned to review the cases.
Upon review, the Army found "significant deficiencies" that led the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to deem the proceedings "fundamentally unfair," according to the Army.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is able to assist any family members of those soldiers upon receipt of the corrected records, as relatives may be entitled to benefits.
