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When your enemy respects and commends you more than your own country does...

Henry Johnson Summed up as a man : " A hero to America, a hero to France, a man who died too young, almost a hundered years since passing we now honor him, may his name forever live on."

My great grandfather was one of these guys. When he passed away in the early 1970s he was buried with his “doughboy” helmet and his French combat medals. One of the toughest men I EVER met…!

How they got his balls into a coffin is just as impressive. Rest in peace American warrior.

He should get his own movie

It’s good to see Henry Johnson finally get the medal of honour after 97 years of campaigning for his bravery action and his story should be made a Hollywood movie.

He was a household name in our house. My kids knew who he was. Henry Johnson Blvd. in Albany NY is named for him. He absolutely should have received the Medal of Honor during his life, and a full military disability pension. He refused to give up because he was fighting for the man he was with, and the others behind him. He refused to be beaten, and so he wasn’t.

Thank you for not sugar coating the racial aspect of Henry Johnson’s story. So important for ppl to understand how poorly he was treated by his own country.

In my opinion, He got respect from his enemy more than his own country.😢

To the people working on simple history, you all deserve praise for your hard work. Your videos are getting better. Past, present and future, the fighting spirit will die. Henry Johnson is the perfect example of said spirit.

This man saved a whole US army regiment & the french soldiers from being slaughtered by the Germans and the USA still treated this man in a dishonorable manner.

His unit got its homage in Battlefield 1, featuring the "Harlem Hellfighters" weapons kit and the codex entry with their history

You achieve immortality when a battle you fought in is named for you, rather than merely where you fought it. RIP,, Sergeant Johnson (Salute)

Henry Johnson, a tragic American hero. Simple History does a great job emphasizing such stories for all to learn and know.

He should be just as known as Audie Murphy, who was given so many awards for his courage. Johnson deserved a lot of recognition too, because Johnson was fighting two major wars at the same time, but fought like a madman who loved his country! Omitting our contributions goes way back!🥺

“Fought for my life, a rabbit woulda done that.”

Sad that one of our country's greatest heroes wasn't recognized for his valor at the time. But at least he FINALLY got the recognition he so justly deserved.

The Africa Americans get the last laugh against the racism in the US Army as The Harlem Hellfighters become one of the most celebrated African-American regiments of WW1.

THIS is the kind of history we need taught in schools.

Henry Johnson is literally WW1's John Henry.

Imagine fighting for a country (and a system) that despises you and treats you as a lower class person. I find it hard to conceive...

As a Marine veteran... I shall remember his name and tell future kids about him.

This is the type of series I live for actually educating people on real heroes and not just false narratives from the past

It's more than a pity that he never received the respect he deserved in life. He was truly an American hero... may he Rest In Peace.

From a land across the ocean To the western front, where they served Fought with courage and devotion Preconceptions turned!

Happy to report that the US Army installation in Vernon Parish, Louisiana formerly known as Fort Polk has been officially renamed Fort Johnson, in honor of William Henry Johnson, as of June 13th, 2023.

This story doesn’t even makes sense, how is such a thing possible? Incredible 🙌🏼

There is a great graphic novel called “The Harlem Hellfighters” that cover the Hellfighters and Johnson very well.

As a digital nomad, I now see why these black soldiers either brought wives home or stayed abroad. The respect overseas especially for black vets is night & day compared to the states. There's statues of black American soldiers in the Philippines for fighting along with Filipinos. I didn't even know that was a thing until I moved over here. I guess that history is considered woke too.

He didn’t get the recognition he deserved because of one person, Woodrow Wilson

Wow, that’s a pretty heroic and sad story. Dude sacrifices basically everything and all he got from his country was no work & loss of his wife and children.

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."-William Shakespeare

THIS IS WHY so many people don’t want CRITICAL RACE THEORY taught in schools. People don’t want America’s dirty history towards African Americans taught to children. Henry Johnson is one of the greatest heroes this country has ever had and the way he was treated is DESPICABLE.

The sacrifices that our African brothers and sisters must be told and remembered at all cost!.And never ever be forgotten!.rip hero henry Johnson🙏🏾

As a WWI buff thanks for this. True story was African Americans came to the French Army with Jazz music which is how it was introduced to Europe. The French really appreciated the black American soldiers and offered them French citizenship after the war. Unfortunately, most turned it down because they couldn't speak French.

I literally shed a tear for this man.

This is why you never fight for people that despise you.

Badass! True will to survive and stick by his brother.

William Henry Johnson, commonly known as Henry Johnson or black death, was a United States Army soldier who performed heroically in the first African American unit of the United States Army to engage in combat in World War I. On watch in the Argonne Forest on May 14, 1918, he fought off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat, killing multiple German soldiers and rescuing a fellow soldier while suffering 21 wounds, in an action that was brought to the nation's attention by coverage in the New York World and The Saturday Evening Post later that year. On June 2, 2015, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a posthumous ceremony at the White House. In 1918, the French awarded Johnson with a Croix de guerre with star and bronze palm. He was the first U.S. soldier in World War I to receive that honor. Johnson died, poor and in obscurity, in 1929. There was a long struggle to achieve awards for him from the U.S. military. He was finally awarded the Purple Heart in 1996. In 2002, the U.S. military awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross. Previous efforts to secure the Medal of Honor failed, but in 2015 he was posthumously honored with the award. On May 24, 2022, The Naming Commission recommended that Fort Polk in Leesville, Louisiana, be renamed Fort Johnson after Henry Johnson, rather than its existing namesake, Confederate General Leonidas Polk.

I’ve always had a great admiration For the Harlem hellfighiters. Who would have thought that a throwaway regiment would end up becoming one of the most decorated regents of the war? Their exploits on the battlefield were legendary. There should be a Movie about the Harlem hellfighters. It would be just like Glory, only it would take place in WWI.

I salute you sir. Such bravery against all odds.

God bless this brave American soldier. I will hold his memory in high regard for the rest of my days as both a recipient of his service to defend us from our enemies and as a fellow former American soldier. RIP brother. Whoah! 🫡

the animation quality on this channel gets more and more stellar by the video

Thank you for educating me - I live not far from Henry Johnson BLVD in Albany, NY and never had a clue who this amazing man was. I will remember him as I traverse the boulevard bearing his hallowed name and memory.

What a hero and he was repaid with a slap in the face but let’s hope he gets more recognition of his bravery

A lot of thanks to this very brave man. Greetings from France.❤

An incredible man. Needam was also very brave for staying in the fight and helping Henry any way he could while he went on his rampage. If there wasn’t already a movie with the title, I’d say that when this guy gets a movie made about him it should be called Hardcore Henry. *haha* What a badass. And honestly your channel with the reach it has, will definitely get this guy a lot more much deserved recognition. Thanks for sharing this!

The hellfighters are underrated

While he definitely deserves to be a household name, I think you’ve done a good thing by using your channel to spread the word. Hopefully people will see this and his legacy will continue to grow

As a famous German field Marshall said after declaring “I have fought the British, the Russians, the French, the Belgians etc (they fought everyone) he said no one was quite like fighting the “American gangster” they are unpredictable, and do not give up when they should. I love my country 🇺🇸

7:33 I really wonder if Wilson's praise was genuine, because well, if you know anything what the man did its really a wonder.

Henry Johnson was the bravest African-American soldier to serve in WW1.God bless him 🇺🇲

As a Marine veteran, I salute you Henry Johnson. Rest in peace Sir. Semper Fi...

The introduction mission of Battlefield 1 is based off of this, and the main character of that mission was most likely based on him too. The infantry u play as at the start and end of the mission is the Harlem Hellfighters.

Now that Fort Polk in Louisiana has been renamed Fort Henry Johnson, more Americans will know about him, as they should have a long time ago.

These men were the ones who had the real ww1 hand combat battles

Some people really don't get their recognition they deserve while they're still alive 🙏🏽

My teacher said his father fought in WW2 as German soldier and eventually became a POW. The Americans that ran the prison segregated the black Americans there and one was yelled at for drinking water from the same source as the whites. One of the Germans said: "And those are the guys who want to lecture us?"

*Press F to pay respects* 💜🎖️

imagine fighting overseas then coming back and having to fight for your right when you come home.. it's wild

America at its finest. Rest well, Hero!😢

This is a true war hero, the type legends are formed for.

Do a video on mr krabs during his days in the navy

African Americans: We’ll finally get the respect we deserve by serving in the military! White Americans: lol nah!

I can't imagine what it felt like for those to valiantly serve next to and be championed as a hero in France and then spit on and beaten when they got home for the effort.

Hits closed to home. My great uncle returned to Europe after WW1. He hated how Americans treated him after serving his country. He died in France in 1985

I like this and about time someone reported and made this good of an animated video about the Harlem Hellfighters and the men that served within it, and should be known and shown to people that do not know their history. One man can make a difference!Peace

One of his sons became a red tail pilot during WW2

The Harlem Hellfighters deserve a lot more praise than they get. RIP Henry Johnson

I did an assignment with him about it. We were doing a Netflix show assignment and had to make an opening page and episode screen. My teacher chose WW1 for me. We had three (not recorded) episodes of the periods through the war. The final episode was supposed to be about a hero in that war. I chose Henry Johnson. Now, I’m gonna actually learn about him with my favorite history channel.

A true American hero. Unbelievably brave and courageous actions by this man. May he rest in peace.

Good on France and the French people for recognizing these brave heroes. These brave men. Vive la France! ❤

"just fought for my life....a rabbit would've done that" realest quote of the war

I had to make a powerpoint on this guy back in 7th Grade, best project I got to work with.

A true shame he wasn’t given the gratitude he deserved by the American people at the time. Not many true warriors of his caliber

"They push,we push."

Should've stayed in France. At least there he was recognised, not like his own government gave a damn about him.

Netflix should have adapting stories like this

Thank you Henry Johnson! You were an amazing man

“I cut my teeth in the trenches of the Somme, you larped your Santa Claus butt through Vietnam!” JRR Tolkien

Fort Polk, Louisiana has recently been renamed Fort Johnson in honor of his bravery and service!

You cant teach about this guy because it would get called woke now

The band 1914 made a song of this battle Don't Tread on Me (Harlem Hellfighters)

“We can not change the past, but we can change the future.” If your willing to fight for freedom, I don’t care who you are, your one thing to me: an American. This reminds me of the 761st tank battalion. Although under one of best generals, he was a racist one as well. Dispirited that, one of the men who severed, conducted an interview with Patton 360. One of the other members of the the 4th armored division was quoted as saying “I’d fight by them tomorrow” Personally, they are heroes in every aspect.

I’m sure this man came home and was treated far worse than any German that he went to war against.

He was one of the steps forward in the this country's effort to fulfill the promise of Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I will make my students aware of this man through this video.

Henry Johnson was ONE member of the most decorated American unit of World War One. The Harlem Hellfighters have more accolades and recognition that ANY other American unit that saw combat. It’s a complete shame that their valor in combat is purposefully ignored

When you have to fight twice as hard to get half the respect!😟

R.I.P Mr. Johnson you are a true Hero and great example of what a man should be. God bless you and thank you for your service!

Thank you for putting truth out. The man deserves all the honor due a true warrior.

He should have been as equally famous and lauded by the public along with Sgt. York and Eddie Rickenbacker.

I don't understand racism. I don't get how hating or mistreating people based on the color of their skin can be a valid reason. It's not. Black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Arab, Native American, etc. We're all human beings. Henry Johnson was a human being, a soldier, a hero, and a man with an unbreakable spirit of valor and courage.

Sad that this hero didnt get the recognition he deserved back home.

"Each slash meant something" thats a whole level of badassery

It's disappointing how I have turn to youtube channels to learn about black hero's like this. If Hollywood and mainstream media focused on telling stories of actual significant black figures like Henry Johnson or Yasuke who was an African slave who became a samurai in Japan instead of insisting that Cleopatra was black I feel like people would have a much more significant understanding of black people and their struggles.

Thank You for sharing this. An still racial prejudice lives on. Henry Johnson was a very brave man fight for a country that hated him and his bravery on the battlefield against the German soldiers is outstanding. I never heard about so many of these stories in school. You guys have a way of really bringing history to life.

This man is the living definition of "Built different"

We can never rewrite wrongs in history. But what can we do now is honor them.

A career criminal who died in police custody gets statues and praise while this actual hero is ignored.