Opening Reception

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As stewards of the historic site of Camp Logan, Memorial Park Conservancy invites you to participate in our annual Park Conversations Audio Experience, entitled “Remembering and Honoring the Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment.” 

Memorial Park Conservancy is hosting an opening reception on Friday, August 23 from 6-8 PM in Live Oak Court at Clay Family Eastern Glades. The free public event will feature refreshments on a first-come, first-served basis, live entertainment and the first opportunity to experience the month-long interactive audio exhibition, listening to the words of descendants and community members whose reflections help provide context and insights to this tragedy and its aftermath.

Additional program partners include Houston City Council Member Abbie Kamin (District C), Harris County Precinct Four Commissioner Lesley Briones, Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, NAACP Houston and Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

*Parental discretion is advised due to the sensitive nature of the audio content in the audio exhibit. 

When: Friday August 23, 6-8 PM
Where: 552 East Memorial Loop Drive, Houston, TX 77007 

PARKING: Clay Family Eastern Glades has parking on-site. Parking is $2 for 3 hours and is available on a first come, first served basis.   

Self-Guided Audio Exhibit

Wednesday, August 23 through September 30
Free and open to the public – registration is not required
WHERE: Clay Family Eastern Glades in Memorial Park 

This installation honors the U.S. Army soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment who served their country while guarding the construction of Camp Logan in 1917. Following the events of August 23, 1917, 110 of these soldiers were unfairly tried, convicted and court-martialed in the aftermath of what was formerly known as the “Houston Mutiny and Riots of 1917.”  Of these 110 soldiers, 19 were executed, and 63 were given life sentences in federal prison. 

More than a century later, history continues to be made. On November 13, 2023, during an unprecedented announcement, the U.S. Army set aside the wrongful convictions of these 110 soldiers, granting each of them honorable discharge. The Army also declared their commitment to providing survivor benefits to the families of these soldiers. And finally, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, they outlined their plans to properly memorialize the soldiers, a promise they honored on February 22, 2024, during a ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas where the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration dedicated new headstones for 17 of the 19 unjustly executed soldiers. The headstones now show the soldiers’ ranks, signifying their dedication, leadership and commitment to duty.

Hear the stories of the 24th Infantry Regiment 

Through ten onsite audio experiences, you will hear from descendants and community members connected to these events, reflecting on their impact over a century later. You’ll also hear moments from the historic ceremonies where honor was returned to these brave soldiers. These audio stories will be available from August 23 – September 30. 

History

Camp Logan trained 70,000 soldiers in World War I and was a vital part of the fabric of Houston’s community. Although there are many stories of heroism and bravery associated with the soldiers that lived and worked here, there are also stories of tragedy.

In July 1917, soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment were ordered to Houston to guard the construction of Camp Logan. The 24th Infantry Regiment, one of the four Buffalo Soldier Regiments in the U.S. Army, had served the nation bravely in the Philippines, Mexico, and the western frontier for decades. After arriving in Houston, the soldiers of 3rd Battalion endured virulent racist abuse in the context of the Jim Crow south. After about a month of enduring racial provocations against members of the 24th, including the violent arrest and assault of two Black soldiers, violence erupted on the night of August 23. Amid rumors of additional threats, a group of more than 100 Black soldiers seized weapons from Camp Logan’s armory and marched into the city as a measure of last resort to protect themselves. The violence left 19 people dead.

These events occurred only six weeks after the St. Louis Race Massacre, one of the deadliest race massacres in the early 20th Century and were the precursor for the racist violence of the Red Summer in 1919. In the aftermath of the violence in Houston, the U.S. Army charged 118 soldiers with “mutiny” and murder in three general courts-martial. The first trial of 63 defendants resulted in the conviction of 58 and execution of 13 soldiers. These 13 soldiers were executed on December 11, 1917 with no outside review and within hours of their sentence being approved by their commander, sparking outrage across the nation. In the next two trials, an additional 52 soldiers were convicted and six more executed in 1918. The three courts-martial were marked by serious irregularities and a failure of due process. Seventeen of the executed soldiers are now buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Because of the national outrage at the unreviewed executions of the original 13 soldiers, the Army implemented the first appellate review process for military courts-martial in the 1920 Articles of War.

More than a century later, history continues to be made. On November 13, 2023, during an unprecedented announcement, the U.S. Army set aside the wrongful convictions of these 110 soldiers, granting each of them honorable discharge. The Army also declared their commitment to providing survivor benefits to the families of these soldiers. And finally, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, they outlined their plans to properly memorialize the soldiers, a promise they honored on February 22, 2024, during a ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas where the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration dedicated new headstones for 17 of the 19 unjustly executed soldiers. The headstones now show the soldiers’ ranks, signifying their dedication, leadership and commitment to duty.

Source: Petition for Clemency, South Texas College of Law Houston Special Library Collection & Buffalo Soldiers National Museum