During the course of World War I many blacks troops were sent overseas, not necessarily to fight, but to provide support services for the combat troops. In this era of segregation, many still believed that black troops were inferior to white, and did not want to send them into combat, or to serve alongside them. However, this did not stop African Americans from volunteering for service, or black troops from contributing to the war effort. In some instances, African American bands were employed on the front to boost morale for both French and American troops. The image shown here is of the 803rd Pioneer Infantry Band on the U.S.S. Philippines, anchored at Brest, France.

Investigate the source using the zoom and navigational tools in the Flash player and then answer the questions below.

1			What role did bands such as the one shown here play in the war effort?
2			How did segregation and racial attitudes affect African American's service during the war?
3			How were African American veterans received at home after the war?