Private Needham Roberts, A Soldier's Story
Private Needham Roberts, A Soldier's Story
Private Needham Roberts was born on April 28, 1901, in Trenton, New Jersey.
He enlisted in the United States Army during World War I and was assigned to the 369th Infantry Regiment, the famed “Harlem Hellfighters,” an all-Black regiment that would earn distinction by fighting under French command when many American units refused to integrate Black soldiers into combat roles.
On May 14, 1918, while on night guard duty in the Argonne Forest alongside Sergeant Henry Johnson, Private Roberts’ position was attacked by a German raiding party estimated at roughly two dozen soldiers.
During the fierce hand-to-hand engagement that followed, Roberts fought to defend their post despite being seriously wounded early in the attack. While Johnson continued the fight in close combat, Roberts assisted in the defense under fire until his injuries rendered him unable to continue. The two men’s resistance prevented the capture of fellow soldiers and denied the enemy valuable prisoners.
Roberts’ wounds were severe and left him permanently disabled.
For their valor, both he and Henry Johnson were awarded the French Croix de Guerre, one of France’s highest decorations for bravery. (Johnson would later receive the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2015.)
After the war, Private Needham Roberts lived a largely quiet life. Despite the physical toll of his injuries, he participated in lectures and radio programs, particularly during World War II, encouraging service and civic participation among African Americans. Like many Black veterans of World War I, however, he returned to a country that did not always honor his sacrifice with equality.
Private Needham Roberts died on April 18, 1949, and is buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Newark, New Jersey.
His story is inseparable from the broader legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters, a regiment that proved its courage in foreign fields while still fighting for full citizenship at home.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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