BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : EUGENE JACQUES BULLARD FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION AND FIRST BLACK COMBAT PILOT AND FRENCH RESISTANCE FIGHTER, VETRAN OF FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS :

Eugene Jacques Bullard  died a poor man in Harlem New York City in 1961 at the age of 66. Though there were few who had heard about him in the U.S.A. he was a National Hero abroad and he had lived the life of 100 men. Whether it was running away from the racial hatred of the American South as a 8yrears old going on a ship to Europe at the age of 12 starting a successful boxing career, becoming the First African American combat pilot, joining the French Foreign Legion or taking part in two world wars, the life of Eugene Bullard never lacked excitement. He was born in 1895 in Columbus, Georgia to a Black father and a Creek Indian mother. Mum passed away were Eugene was only five years old, so it was the father who was to raise him and his nine siblings. There family had come to America as slaves from the Caribbean after there French ownwer had fled from the Island of Martinique during the Haitian Revolution.

His father was hard working labor who was educated and read to them and taught them to speak French. After his father had narrowly escaped a lynching by a racist mob, Eugene left home at only 8years. His father words  were " In France a Man is Accepted As A Man Regardless Of The Color Of His Skin". This inspired him and ultimate dream was to go to Paris, France. Eugene manage to get to France after sailing to Scotland were he stayed with Gypsies and learnt  to deal with horses and became a very good rider. He then traveled to Liverpool were he became a Jokey and having saved a bit of money he then traveled to Paris and arrived in 1914 the very year the first world war started and egar to join and serve his new country he joined the French Foreign Legion.

He was place in the Third Marching Regiment of the Moroccan Division, over 50 different nationalities in this regiment. They fought in the battle of the Somme as this regiment was disbanded after the battle because of the heavy loses during the battle, he joined the 179th Infantry Known as the " Swallows Of Death"  this regiment then fought at the battle of Verdun. In 1916 Eugene was wounded and was unable to take part in any more ground war, but was awarded the  "The Croix de Guerre" and " Medaile Militaire" by the French Government.