World War I was a turning point not only for America’s role on the global stage but also for race relations within its own borders. The draft of Black men into the Army revealed both the nation’s reliance on their service and its reluctance to grant them equality.
In Marching Without Applause, Thomas Bradley explores how this tension gave rise to one of the most significant milestones in military history: the commissioning of Black officers. Through the establishment of the first Army Officer Training Camp for Black men, the Army took a step—small but profound—toward inclusion.
Bradley’s book reveals the challenges these men faced: skepticism from military officials, prejudice from society, and the weight of proving themselves in a system designed to exclude them. Yet it also highlights the progress achieved when Black and white leaders collaborated to push for change. Their partnership demonstrates that racial progress in America has often required unlikely alliances, where justice and pragmatism intersect.
The commissioning of Black officers during WWI was more than a military decision—it was a declaration that courage and competence know no color. Bradley’s work reminds us that the legacy of these men continues to shape the Army today, where diversity and inclusion are recognized as strengths.
