On this day, 13 African American soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment were executed by hanging at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, without the chance to appeal. This was the largest mass execution of American soldiers by the U.S. Army.
The soldiers were convicted for their involvement in the Houston Riot (Camp Logan Mutiny), which occurred on August 23, 1917. The riot was sparked by brutal acts of racial violence and police abuse against Black soldiers and civilians in Jim Crow-era Houston.
A total of 118 soldiers were tried, with:
19 executed,
41 given life sentences,
and others given various prison terms.
The trials were heavily criticized for their speed, lack of due process, and racial injustice.
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