U.S. Army Overturns Convictions of 110 Black Soldiers from 1917 Houston Riots

Historic Decision Acknowledges Racial Bias in Largest Murder Trial in U.S. History, Honorable Service Recognition Opens Path for Descendants' Benefits

The U.S. Army has overturned the convictions of 110 Black soldiers who were accused of mutiny during the Houston riots of 1917. The soldiers, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were guarding a military training camp in Houston when they clashed with white residents, leading to the deaths of 19 people.
The soldiers were convicted in what was then the largest murder trial in U.S. history. Nineteen of the soldiers were executed in what remains the largest mass execution of American soldiers by the U.S. Army.
The Army Board for Correction of Military Records found that the soldiers' trials were tainted by racism and were fundamentally unfair. The board unanimously recommended that all convictions be set aside and the soldiers' military service be characterized as honorable.
As a result of the exoneration, the soldiers' records will be corrected to reflect their honorable service, and their descendants may be eligible for military benefits. The soldiers will also be given proper gravestones.
The decision to overturn the convictions came after the South Texas College of Law and retired general officers petitioned the Army to review the cases. The Army's decision marks an acknowledgment of past mistakes and an effort to set the record straight.