Letters of Guilt: The Plight of Black Soldiers During the Philippine-American War
The dark-skinned connection of black Americans and Filipinos
How far will you go in supporting your nation? Would you go the extra mile? But what if your country is the offender? A conquistador? And a murderer? Would you still hold on to its stance even if it is wrong? These were the questions that baffled the African American soldiers when they were deployed to invade the Philippines in 1899.
A little-known history is written about black American troops’ participation in the U.S. colonization of the Philippines. But compared to their white counterparts, the black soldiers had difficulty in fulfilling their mission.
It was a battle of guilt for the black soldiers to exterminate the natives — people of the same color and similar struggles. The black soldiers knew that Filipinos were only fighting to defend their liberty against white Americans.
This article will showcase some of the African American soldiers’ letters amid the Philippine-American War. And how they were used and abused by the U.S. government to advanced American imperialism in Asia.
