COLUMBUS (WCMH) — More than 350-thousand African Americans served in the World War I. Most repaired roads, recovered bodies and salvaged equipment.

The all-black  93^rd Division served with the French army. That included the  372 regiment with Washington Court House native, Homer Lawson.

It was late September, 1918 after the key and deadly battle at Meuse-Argonne, when Lawson was killed in battle, one of 6-thousand Ohioans who died in WWI.he 372

“The 372^nd received the Croix de Gaulle from the French army, the highest honor the French army gave,” said local historian Paul LaRue. LaRue, a retired teacher is part of the WWI Centennial Committee, who is responsible for the WWI teaching program used at Washington High School in Washington Court House.

“In some ways it’s kind of sad and ironic the French Government in some ways recognized them more than their own country,” said LaRue. The French army suffered major losses in the war, so it was common for troops from Morocco and Senegal to serve with the French, so they were very comfortable having black Americans fighting, shoulder to shoulder with them.  Homer Lawson is buried in the Veterans section of Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, a lesser-known hero of World War I who is finding new attention nearly a century after his death.

Homer Lawson is buried in the Veterans section of Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, a lesser-known hero of World War I who is finding new attention nearly a century after his death.

If you are a teacher or educator, here are some resources to include information about Homer Lawson and other African Americans during World War I, visit these resources:http://www.ohiohistoryhost.org/ohiomemory/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Searching-for-Homer-Lawson-Lesson-Plan.pdfhttp://www.ohiohistoryhost.org/ohiomemory/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/African-Am-Labor-for-Victory-Lesson-Plan.pdf