The convictions of 110 black soldiers arrested in the aftermath of the 1917 Houston Riots have been overturned by the US Army.
A military review determined that the soldiers were subjected to unfair trials and were “wrongly treated” because of their race.
Consequently, their records will be reclassified to acknowledge their military service as honorable.
The Houston Riots unfolded following months of racial provocations against members of a regiment referred to as the “Buffalo Soldiers.”
“By setting aside their convictions and granting honourable discharges, the Army is acknowledging past mistakes and setting the record straight,” Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said in a statement on Monday.
The 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, constituted one of four regiments consisting entirely of black servicemen, commonly referred to as the “Buffalo Soldiers,” a nickname dating back to the 1860s.
The Houston Riots unfolded on August 23, 1917, stemming from prolonged racial tensions, including the violent arrest and assault of two black soldiers.
Fueled by rumors of additional threats to the soldiers from a white mob, a group of armed black soldiers gathered in the Texas city, leading to confrontations.
Tragically, nineteen individuals lost their lives in the violence, including civilians.
The army subsequently convicted 110 soldiers from the regiment on charges such as disobedience of lawful orders, mutiny, and assault with intent to commit murder.
The aftermath saw the execution of nineteen soldiers, with 13 secretly executed within a day of sentencing. Others received life sentences behind bars.
Historians say the process was “characterised by numerous irregularities”, the Army said.
It remains the largest mass execution of American soldiers by the US Army.
In October 2020 and December 2021, the Army received petitions from retired general officers requesting clemency for all the soldiers.
Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo said: “We cannot change the past; however, this decision provides the Army and the American people an opportunity to learn from this difficult moment in our history.”
The Army has said relatives of the soldiers may be entitled to compensation.