Honor Delayed: The Harlem Hellfighter Buried in New Bern

NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston

The legendary Harlem Hellfighters—World War I’s All-Black 369th Infantry Regiment—were recently honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C., and New York. Known for their unmatched courage, the Hellfighters served 191 consecutive days in combat—longer than any other American unit. Yet, when they returned home, their heroism was forgotten.

Few people realize that one of those brave soldiers hailed from right here in New Bern. His name was Heyward Eugene Slade, and he now rests at Greenwood Cemetery on Cypress Street. Born in New Bern on June 21, 1892, Heyward was the son of Julia E. Carter Day Slade Bailey and Jacob Slade. The family moved to New York City in the early 1900s; the 1905 New York State Census lists Julia and her children, including young Heyward, living there.

At age twenty-one, on April 13, 1917, Heyward enlisted in Company F of the 15th Infantry, New York National Guard. When President Woodrow Wilson called up the entire National Guard to expand the Army for service in France, the 15th was among those mobilized on July 12, 1917. The regiment would soon become famous under a new name, the 369th Infantry, nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters.

In December 1917, Heyward and his regiment sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey, aboard the USS Pocahontas, arriving at Brest, France, later that month. Initially assigned to labor duty at the port of Saint-Nazaire, the men built piers, railways, and supply routes—vital work but far from the combat they had trained for. The U.S. Army remained segregated, but the French Army, grateful for reinforcements, welcomed them into the 16th Division of the 4th French Army in early 1918.

After just three weeks of training in French tactics and weapons, the 369th entered the trenches on April 8, 1918. They would remain at the front for 191 consecutive days, longer than any other American regiment. Amid fierce fighting during the German spring offensive, they held their ground heroically and were celebrated for their bravery. By the war’s end, they were among the first Allied units to reach the Rhine River.

Heyward was slightly wounded on September 28, 1918, but survived the war and returned home with his regiment in February 1919. After his honorable discharge, he remained in New York City with his mother and siblings. He later married Florence Rucker, though the marriage did not last. Per the 1940 census, Heyward resided with his new wife, Dolly, while working for the US postal service.  Heyward died on August 28, 1942, in NYC.  He was returned home to New Bern to be buried at Greenwood, with his mother and a sister, Margaret Day, of whom little is known.

It remains unclear whether Heyward ever received individual recognition for his wartime service. Only now, more than a century later, is his regiment receiving the national honor it so richly deserves.

Rest in peace, Sergeant Heyward E. Slade—New Bern’s own Harlem Hellfighter—whose courage helped change history.

Note: Military records list his name as Heyward E. Slade, though other documents refer to him as Heywood or Howard Slade. All refer to the same man.