BHM: 26 Famous Black People Who Served in the Military

During Black History Month, we often focus on the civil rights leaders who fought for our rights while on American soil. However, there were a great deal of celebrities and public figures who served the country and our community in U.S. Army.

You didn’t know Morgan Freeman was in the military? Whew, you’re in for a treat.

Some celebrities joined for something to do or to stay out of trouble during the infancy stages of their careers. Though, many other veterans were the ones who broke through the boundaries of segregation like Lt. Colonel Charity Adams-Earley or turned out to be the Black Captain America like Sgt. Williams Henry Johnson.

If those names don’t sound familiar, keep scrolling to learn more about them and all the other illustrious Black veterans who served the country.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

Austin graduated from the United States Military Academy and embarked on a 41-year long service career in the Army where he commanded at the corps, division, battalion and brigade levels, according to the Defense Department. He was awarded the Silver Star for leading the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He retired from service in 2016 after leading U.S. in a battle against ISIS.

Harry Belafonte

The singer and activist joined the Navy during World War II and contributed to the war effort for a year, according to the DOD.

Rep. Donald Davis

Davis graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and was commissioned to serve in uniform for eight years, according to his biography. He coordinated Air Force one and CODEL operations as a First Lieutenant at Andrews Air Force. He also assisted families as a mortuary officer.

Morgan Freeman

Freeman enlisted in the Air Force after high school and trained to be an automatic tracking radar repairman, per the Department of Defense.

Jackie Robinson

Robinson, with the help of heavyweight champion Private Joe Louis, enrolled in the Officer’s Candidate School at Fort Riley and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. Also, he got arrested after refusing to sit on the back of the military bus, per the Airborne and Special Operations Museum website.

James Earl Jones

The legendary actor joined the Pershing Rifles Drill Team and Scabbard and Blade Honor Society in college. Then, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. Finally, Jones was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 38th Regimental Combat Team, per the DOD.

MC Hammer

The music legend joined the Navy and spent three years as an aviation storekeeper third class, per Military.com.

Sgt. William Henry Johnson

Johnson, a Winston Salem native, enlisted in the Army in 1917 as a teenager and moved to New York, per the U.S. Army website. He was assigned to Company C, the all-Black 15th New York Infantry Regiment that soon became the 369th Infantry Regiment. While on tour in western France to fight against Germany, 12 German soldiers ambushed Johnson and his unit. He took the initiative to protect his team and advanced toward the soldiers with nothing but a knife in hand. He bought enough time for the injured soldiers to escape being abducted by the Germans. He died after succumbing to his 21 combat injuries.

A Louisiana Army base is now named Fort Johnson in his honor.

Sunny Anderson

The Food Network star was an Air Force broadcast journalist in Seoul, South Korea and worked for Air Force News Agency radio and television in San Antonio for five years, per DOD.

Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr.

Bishop enlisted into the U.S. Army in 1969, per his website. He completed basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia and was enrolled in Advanced Reserve Officer Training Corps and was honorably discharged in 1971.

Marvin Gaye

The singer was 17 years old when he dropped out of high school to enlist in the Air Force, according to his bio in Medic in the Green Time. His superiors considered him uncooperative and lackadaisical. He faked being mentally ill and was given a general discharge after one year. The rest is history.

Lt. General Arthur J. Gregg

Gregg enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946, joining the Black Soldiers in World War II. After President Truman desegregated the military, Gregg helped change the culture of the Army while attending Officer Candidate School, per the Army website. He was placed on assignment in 1950. In fact, he served several assignments in Germany during the Cold War, including leading the Army and Air Force Exchange System.

Fort Lee in Virginia has been renamed Fort Gregg-Adams in his honor.

Lt. Colonel Charity Adams

Ms. Adams was the highest-ranking Black woman officer to serve during World War II, according to the National Museum of the United States Army. She applied into the Women’s Army Corps in 1942 and graduated the same year. After leading the 3rd Company and 3rd Training Regiment, she was deployed with the first Black WAC unit and was given command of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion. This achievement promoted her to lieutenant colonel.

Fort Lee in Virginia has been renamed Fort Gregg-Adams to honor her achievements.

Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix had two options as a rebellious youth from Seattle: go to prison or join the Army. He chose the latter. He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division and was discharged after the first year of his three-year contract because he distressed the captain, according to Military.com.

Sheryl Underwood

The comedian joined the Air Force as a field medic and was deployed to West Germany and South Korea, per the DOD.

Montel Williams

Williams served in the Marine Corps and graduated from the Naval Academy, serving 18 months in Guam as a cryptologist officer, per the DOD.

Shaggy

The reggae star left Jamaica to come to the US to pursue his music career at 18 years old, per Military.com. However, he joined the Marine Corps in 1988 after struggling to find work and fought in the Gulf War. He didn’t stay in the military much longer after that and went AWOL to pursue music seriously once he returned home.

Sidney Poitier

The actor enlisted in the Army at age 16. At that time, he was sent to a hospital to provide aid to the medical staff, where he cared for mentally-ill veterans, per Veterans Advantage.

Ice-T

The rapper-actor served four years in the Army’s 25th Infantry Division, according to Military.com.

Robin Quivers

Quivers was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force and served as a nurse. She transferred to the Air Force Reserve from her base in Texas, climbing to a captain and served there for over ten years.

Berry Gordy Jr.

The Motown Records founder enlisted in the Army and served in Korea for two years, per the Detroit Historical Society.

Sinbad

The comedian joined the Air Force in 1979, according to Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs. It was there that he realized his passion for making people laugh, working as a comic for Tops in Blue, a touring performance ensemble of active-duty airmen. After he won the show Star Search in the late 80s, his comedy career took off and his military career came to a close.

Charles Rangel

The former New York U.S. Representative enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and fought in the Korean War, Korean War Legacy. He served in the 2nd Infantry Division and received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for leading a troop out of the ambush of Chinese enemies. Rangel said that day was the worst day of his life but typically notes that he “hasn’t had a bad day since.”

Elgin Baylor

In the early 60s, the NBA star was on active duty in the U.S. Army at the same time he was competing in professional basketball, per NBA’s website. He was drafted despite being an inch short of the maximum height and color-blind. By the time basic training began, he couldn’t fit the military uniform and was moved to be an official military medic. His performance in basketball got him a leave to play for the Lakers and continual leave by an order signed by President JFK.

David Robinson

The NBA star enlisted in the US Naval Academy and achieved the rank of a Lieutenant, Junior Grade. After receiving his commission he was assigned to the Civil Engineering Corps, per the Defense Department.

Mr. T

The pop culture sensation joined the Army National Guard just after the Vietnam War and later joined the Military Police corps, rising to a squad leader at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, per Military.com.