In a significant move towards righting historical wrongs, the U.S. Army has announced the setting aside of convictions for 110 Black soldiers who were arrested following the 1917 Houston Riots. A statement released by the Army's Public Affairs office on Monday revealed that the Army Board for Correction of Military Records had approved the recommendation to overturn the soldiers' courts-martial convictions. These soldiers, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers," were part of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment.

The Army has further pledged to correct the military service records of the soldiers and characterize their service as honorable. This decision comes after a thorough review carried out by the Army Board, which concluded that the soldiers were mistreated due to their race and were not accorded fair trials. Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth, stated, "By setting aside their convictions and granting honorable discharges, the Army is acknowledging past mistakes and setting the record straight."

The 1917 Houston Riots unfolded against a backdrop of racially motivated violence faced by members of the 24th Infantry Regiment. Two Black soldiers were assaulted and arrested, leading to more than 100 Black soldiers seizing weapons and marching into Houston on August 23rd, 1917. Rumors of a white mob planning to attack Black troops at Camp Logan spurred their actions, as recorded by the National Cemetery Administration. The clashes that followed resulted in the deaths of 19 people, with 15 being white and 4 being Black.

The Army acknowledges that the subsequent trial of the incident was marred by several irregularities, according to historians. In a grim outcome, 19 soldiers were executed, marking the largest mass execution of American soldiers by the U.S. Army.

The road to redemption for the wrongly convicted Buffalo Soldiers began when the Secretary of the Army requested a review of their cases by the military records board. Upon detailed examination of each case, the board members unanimously concluded that the proceedings were fundamentally unfair. As a result, they recommended the setting aside of all convictions and the honorable characterization of the soldiers' military service.

Reflecting on the outcome, Michael Mahoney, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Review Boards, expressed pride in the actions taken, stating, "We're proud of the hard work we did to make things right in this case." The decision to set aside the convictions and grant honorable discharges to these Black soldiers marks an important step towards acknowledging the injustices faced and rectifying historical errors. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing effort to address systemic racism and ensure fairness and equality within the military justice system.