The convictions of 110 black soldiers arrested in the aftermath of the 1917 Houston Riots have been overturned by the US Army.
A military review determined that the soldiers were subjected to unfair trials and were “wrongly treated” because of their race.
Consequently, their records will be reclassified to acknowledge their military service as honorable.
The Houston Riots unfolded following months of racial provocations against members of a regiment referred to as the “Buffalo Soldiers.”
“By setting aside their convictions and granting honourable discharges, the Army is acknowledging past mistakes and setting the record straight,” Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said in a statement on Monday.
The 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, constituted one of four regiments consisting entirely of black servicemen, commonly referred to as the “Buffalo Soldiers,” a nickname dating back to the 1860s.
The Houston Riots unfolded on August 23, 1917, stemming from prolonged racial tensions, including the violent arrest and assault of two black soldiers.
Fueled by rumors of additional threats to the soldiers from a white mob, a group of armed black soldiers gathered in the Texas city, leading to confrontations.