Kansas City's African American ''Immunes'' in the Spanish-American War

The ten "Immune" regiments in the Spanish American War were composed of soldiers whom Congress believed would be immune to tropical diseases. African Americans were considered to to be especially adapted to fighting in hot climates and half of the ten Immune regiments were black. One unit of the Seventh Immune regiment came out of Kansas City, recruited at the Colored YMCA. Among their members were Lafayette Tillman and Leon Jordan. Despite the hopes of the volunteers that their service would bring them respect they met with discrimination and prejuedice, both from within the military and at Lexington, Kentucky where they were stationed.