Dear friends,
Please watch and reshare this reel to your followers. We are trying to raise money to send these amazing young men to march in the November Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's an unique opportunity to honor the legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I.
During the war, the 369th Regiment, out of New York, spent more time in continuous combat than any other American unit of its size, with 191 days in the front-line trenches of Europe. These soldiers were so fierce, the Germans named them, “Hollenkampfer,” or “Hellfighter.” And is how this regiment also became known as the Harlem Hellfighters.
The 369th Regiment distinguished themselves not only on the battlefields of Europe but also in lifting the spirits of soldiers as their regimental band played for troops in and out of the theater of battle. The 369th's regimental band, under the direction of Lieutenant James Reese Europe, became famous throughout Europe by continuing to introduce the until-then-unknown brand of music called “Jazz” to British, French, and other European audiences.
Originally established as an official program of the United States World War One Centennial Commission, now an independent 501 (c)(3), The 369th Experience Band has created a living memorial to the story of the 369th Regiment and their service. The 369th Experience is an historic re-creation of the original Harlem Hellfighters band comprised of 65 African American and Puerto Rican male band students from HBCUs and other institutions across the country. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the 369th Experience is dedicated to developing and implementing educational and cultural opportunities that share the stories of these soldiers' service, sacrifice, and their legacy of spreading a love of Jazz in Europe.
