Harlem Hellfighters

by John Micklos Jr.

When World War I began, it seemed unlikely that a unit such as the Harlem Hellfighters would ever be formed. Given their nickname by their German foes who admired their bravery, the Harlem Hellfighters were members of the 369th, an all-black regiment. The 369th played key roles in critical battles and helped secure an Allied victory. Infographics, sidebars, and fact boxes bring the experiences of these brave military men to life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2019

About the author

John Micklos, Jr. has written more than 60 children’s books spanning a wide range of ages and genres. His newest picture book is titled Sad, Mad, Glad: A Day Full of Feelings (Penguin Workshop, 2026).

Other popular picture book titles include One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me! (Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books, 2017) and Raindrops to Rainbow (Penguin Workshop, 2021). Both books were selected for inclusion in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

John’s other top-selling books include 125 True Stories of Amazing Pets (contributor), published by National Geographic Kids. He also has written dozens of biographies, history books, and social studies books for educational publishers such as Capstone and Cavendish Square. Biographies include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Amelia Earhart, Alexander Graham Bell, Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali, Sequoyah, and others. History topics include the Revolutionary War (six-book series), Civil War, Challenger tragedy, Gold Rush, Lewis and Clark Expedition, and many others.

A resident of Newark, Delaware, John enjoys visiting schools (in person or via Zoom) and conducting writing workshops with students of all ages. His presentations and workshops center on writing poetry, nonfiction, and persuasive pieces, as well as the art of research and revision, to name just a few. Learn more about John’s work at www.JohnMicklosWriter.com.

Reviews

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read several books on the topic, this one impressed me. One other reviewer criticized it for the first chapter not dealing with the Hellfighters, but the historical context of WWI is important to understand their role and importance. Although catalogued a a “J” book, it was perfect for using in an adult literacy class as learning of the content overshadowed any stigma of using a “J” book.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been good if the entire book was about the Harlem Hellfighters but the first chapter was not.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really good, but brief overview. I wanted to understand more about their lives, segregation they faced, accomplishments, how they proved people wrong. I just wanted more.

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books provides history about the start of World War I, how the US got involved, and how the hellfighters formed. It lets us know about famous members of the unit, and facts about the unit and how they fought along side French soldiers and earned French medals and includes photos and stats. I thought the format was engaging and interesting.