On Monday, Congress signed the Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act, which will see the WWI infantry unit awarded with the nation’s highest civilian honor. While all members of the Harlem Hellfighters have since passed away, their descendants have pushed for the medal to be awarded posthumously.
The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the United States’ two highest civilian awards. So far, less than 200 Congressional Gold Medals have been awarded. Originally, the medal was exclusively military-oriented, but today it can be awarded to individuals and even groups, which is happening for the Harlem Hellfighters.
Descendants of the infantry unit have sought for the men to be honored now, as they were not fairly celebrated at the time.
