During World War I, Sgt. Johnson exhibited immense bravery as part of the “Harlem Hellfighters.” He was part of the first African American unit to fight in the war, and was the first American to receive the French Croix de Guerre. He bravely fought off German soldiers in hand-to-hand combat, rescuing a fellow soldier in the process. An article written about his deeds was published in The Saturday Evening Post, giving him national acclaim. Unfortunately, he did not live to see his Medal of Honor awarded to him. (President Barack Obama posthumously gave him one in 2015.) He died in obscurity in 1929 from tuberculosis. Despite this, Johnson’s story remains inspirational for soldiers everywhere.