The Negro Soldier
"A tribute to the Negro soldier's contribution to American democracy"
Plot
The Negro Soldier is a groundbreaking documentary that follows the journey of a young African American man from his church pulpit to military service during World War II. The film presents a comprehensive narrative of Black military contributions throughout American history, from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and World War I. Through a combination of documentary footage, dramatized sequences, and interviews, the film showcases African American soldiers training, working in various military roles, and preparing for combat. The narrative emphasizes patriotism, duty, and the importance of African American participation in the war effort while challenging racial stereotypes. The film culminates with powerful scenes of Black soldiers serving alongside their white comrades, promoting a message of unity and shared American values.
About the Production
The film was commissioned by the U.S. government as part of the war effort and was produced with unprecedented cooperation from the War Department. It was one of the first times the government directly addressed racial issues in a propaganda film. The production included both staged sequences and actual military training footage. Director Stuart Heisler faced significant challenges in balancing the film's propaganda purposes with authentic representation of African American experiences.
Historical Background
The Negro Soldier was produced during a critical period in American history when the country was fighting World War II abroad while grappling with racial segregation and discrimination at home. In 1941, President Roosevelt had issued Executive Order 8802, prohibiting racial discrimination in the defense industry, and the military was beginning to reconsider its segregationist policies. The film emerged from the 'Double V' campaign, which advocated for victory over fascism abroad and victory over racism at home. The Tuskegee Airmen and other African American military units were beginning to prove their capabilities, challenging the prevailing racist assumptions about Black soldiers' fitness for combat. The film was part of a broader government effort to maintain national unity and maximize military manpower during the war.
Why This Film Matters
The Negro Soldier represents a watershed moment in American cinema and race relations. It was the first major Hollywood-backed film to present African Americans with dignity and respect, challenging decades of racist stereotypes in American media. The film's positive portrayal of Black patriotism and capability helped pave the way for the eventual integration of the U.S. military in 1948. Its commercial success demonstrated to Hollywood executives that films with positive Black representation could be profitable, influencing future productions. The film also provided African American audiences with rare on-screen heroes who looked like them, contributing to community pride and morale. Its impact extended beyond the war years, becoming a reference point for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Making Of
The production of The Negro Soldier represented a significant breakthrough in Hollywood's treatment of African American subjects. The film was commissioned after African American leaders protested the lack of positive representation in war films. Director Stuart Heisler, previously known for directing commercial films, was chosen for his technical expertise. Carlton Moss, a Howard University graduate and former member of the Federal Theatre Project, was brought in to ensure authentic representation. The production team included African American consultants who reviewed every aspect of the film to avoid stereotypes. The Army provided unprecedented access to training facilities and actual soldiers, many of whom appear in the film. The church sequences were filmed at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, with actual congregation members participating.
Visual Style
The film's cinematography, handled by Stanley Cortez, combined documentary realism with carefully composed dramatic sequences. The training footage was shot with a gritty authenticity that gave viewers an unprecedented look at military life. The church sequences used dramatic lighting to create a sense of reverence and community. The film employed innovative techniques for its time, including the use of multiple cameras during the military maneuvers to capture dynamic action sequences. The visual style deliberately avoided the stereotypical lighting and camera angles often used in contemporary films featuring African Americans, instead employing the same techniques used for mainstream productions.
Innovations
The Negro Soldier pioneered several technical and documentary techniques that would influence future filmmaking. It was among the first films to successfully integrate documentary footage with staged dramatic sequences. The production team developed new mobile camera rigs to capture dynamic military training footage. The film's editing style, which juxtaposed historical images with contemporary footage, created a powerful narrative continuity. The sound recording techniques used during the military sequences were innovative for their time, capturing authentic audio from training exercises. The film also demonstrated the effective use of montage sequences to convey historical information efficiently within a documentary format.
Music
The film's score was composed by Werner Janssen and incorporated both traditional American patriotic music and African American spirituals. The soundtrack includes powerful renditions of 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' and 'Go Down, Moses,' performed by the Tuskegee Institute Choir. The musical selections were carefully chosen to bridge African American cultural traditions with broader American patriotic themes. The sound design emphasized the realism of military training while maintaining the emotional impact of the dramatic sequences. The film's use of music was particularly effective in the church scenes, where the spirituals created an atmosphere of both religious devotion and patriotic commitment.
Did You Know?
- The film was requested by General George C. Marshall to help improve race relations in the military
- Carlton Moss, who stars in the film, also wrote the screenplay and was a prominent African American playwright and filmmaker
- The film was shown to over 2 million military personnel and had wide theatrical distribution
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt personally endorsed the film and ordered its wide distribution
- It was one of the first American films to present African Americans as patriotic heroes rather than stereotypes
- The film's premiere was held at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles with an integrated audience, unusual for the time
- The NAACP praised the film as 'the most important motion picture ever produced on the Negro question'
- The film's success led to the creation of other documentaries featuring African Americans in positive roles
- It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature
- The film was used as a training tool for officers to help them understand racial tensions in the military
What Critics Said
Contemporary critics praised The Negro Soldier as groundbreaking and necessary. The New York Times called it 'a powerful and moving document that should be seen by every American.' Variety described it as 'one of the most important films of the war year.' The African American press overwhelmingly endorsed the film, with the Chicago Defender calling it 'a milestone in motion picture history.' Modern critics view the film as historically significant despite some limitations. Film historians note that while it challenged stereotypes, it still operated within the constraints of government propaganda. The film is now recognized as a crucial document of American race relations during WWII and a pioneering work in the representation of African Americans in cinema.
What Audiences Thought
The Negro Soldier was enormously popular with both military and civilian audiences. Military screenings were mandatory for many units, and the film reportedly reduced racial tensions in several camps. African American audiences attended in large numbers, often organizing special screenings at churches and community centers. The film's theatrical run was unusually successful for a documentary, playing in both white and Black theaters across the country. Many African American veterans later cited the film as an inspiration for their service. The film's positive reception helped demonstrate to Hollywood executives that there was a market for films with positive Black representation, though the industry would be slow to act on this lesson.
Awards & Recognition
- Academy Honorary Award (1944) - For its contribution to better race relations
- National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary (1944)
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Frank Capra's 'Why We Fight' series
- Documentary films of the British Documentary Movement
- African American church traditions
- Federal Theatre Project productions
- Contemporary newsreel style
This Film Influenced
- The Negro Sailor
- 1945
- ,
- Teamwork
- 1946
- ,
- The Way Ahead
- 1944
- ,
- Cabin in the Sky
- 1943
- ,
- The Lost Boundaries
- 1949
- ],
- similarFilms
- The Negro Sailor,The House I Live In,Gentlemen's Agreement,Crisis,The Red Badge of Courage,The Best Years of Our Lives
- famousQuotes
- This is a story of a people who have fought for freedom since the birth of this nation, and who fight today for the freedom of the world.,From the fields of Gettysburg to the beaches of Normandy, the Negro soldier has always been there when America needed him.,We ask not for special privileges, but for the rights guaranteed to every American under the Constitution.,In the armed forces of the United States, there is no place for racial prejudice or discrimination.,The battle for freedom begins at home, in the hearts and minds of all Americans.
- memorableScenes
- The opening church sequence where a young minister delivers a powerful sermon about the duty of African Americans to defend their country,The montage of historical images showing Black soldiers from every American war, set to patriotic music,The training sequences showing African American soldiers mastering complex military equipment,The emotional scene where soldiers write letters home, intercut with their families reading them,The final sequence showing integrated units preparing for deployment, emphasizing unity and shared purpose
- preservationStatus
- The Negro Soldier has been preserved by the National Archives and Records Administration. In 2011, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.' A restored version was released by the National Film Preservation Foundation in 2018, with improved sound and image quality. The original 35mm negatives are stored at the Library of Congress, and digital copies are available through various educational and archival institutions.
- whereToWatch
- National Archives website,Library of Congress digital collections,YouTube (official uploads),The Criterion Channel,Kanopy (through participating libraries),American Film Institute archives,Museum of Modern Art film collection,Various educational streaming platforms