African American personnel of Veterinary Hospital in St. Nazaire, France

From the service of 1st Lieutenant John J. Riordan, US Army Veterinary Corps, 4th Corps Mobile Veterinary Hospital, 2nd Army, AEF.

During World War I, thousands of African American men answered their country's call and joined the armed services. Though segregation policies at the time followed them into the military, the service of African Americans during the war broke barriers and challenged the heart of racist policies in the military and beyond.