Happy Veterans Day! Let’s Salute These Notable Black People Who Also Served In The Military

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Colin L Powell (1937 – 2021) speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Washington D.C., January 16, 1991. | Source: Consolidated News Pictures / Getty

UPDATED: 11:00 a.m. EST, Nov. 11, 2024

Monday marks the annual observation of the Veterans Day holiday to celebrate and honor America’s men and women who served the country in the military and the U.S. armed forces. Originating in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, Veterans Day honors those selfless Americans who sacrificed their lives to defend and fight for the country.

That esteemed group includes a number of notable celebrities and famous Black folks who also served in the U.S. military.

MORE: Remembering African American Soldiers’ Role World War II: The Good, Bad And The Ugly

However, there isn’t always a nuanced image of veterans and we must as a nation remember that they have come — and are still coming — in all colors and backgrounds.

There are plenty of familiar Black people who took time out of their lives to serve in the United States armed forces.

Black people broke the United States’ military color barrier in the 1700s when Crispus Attucks became the first person to die in the Revolutionary War during what would come to be known as the Boston Massacre. Following that, thousands of Black soldiers who were slaves as well as free men fought in the Continental Army and state militias during America’s war for independence from Great Britain.

MORE: Veterans Day: 100 Vintage Photos Of Black Soldiers Fighting Wars For America

That trend of Black people serving in the United States military has only flourished over the past centuries, with many emerging as war heroes. Some of them have gone on to become famous for other things, from serving in presidential administrations to becoming global pop stars to making iconic films and much, much more.

Scroll down and keep reading to find a comprehensive photo gallery of some African American former servicemen and women whom you already know about, and probably — maybe — just a few who you had no clue enlisted and served in one of the United States’ five branches of the armed forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard.