Edgar Caldwell: A Black War Hero Hanged in 1920 Alabama

What happens when a Black man says no to injustice and stands up for himself?

In 1920 Alabama, Edgar Caldwell — a Black veteran of World War I — said no to racism. And he was punished for it. His story winds through military bases, courtrooms, and jail cells. Through letters, protests, and prayers.

This is the third story in our Black Resistance series — tracing how Black communities fought back.

Watch. Learn. Remember.

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The Memory Justice Project is a research and storytelling initiative led by civil rights attorney Julian Johnson — committed to honoring those who lived and died in injustice, the ones history tried to bury and the law abandoned.

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This channel is more than content — it’s a community built on remembrance, truth-telling, and accountability. We believe that memory is justice. That by remembering the stories they tried to erase, we protect the dignity of those who were harmed and build a deeper understanding of the systems that failed them. Share your thoughts, questions, or reflections in the comments. This is a space for learning, healing, and truth. Together, we carry the memory — and we keep the record.

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Produced by The Memory Justice Project, a research & storytelling initiative of the Law Office of Julian Johnson
Video Editor: Ariana Cavillo Hernandez
Content Operations Assistant: Asivile Mzinyati
Written & Narrated by: Julian Johnson

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Sources Consulted:
This story was developed using archival newspaper coverage, government records, and key works of historical scholarship. Major sources include Fighting for Sergeant Caldwell by Vincent P. Mikkelsen, Torchbearers of Democracy by Chad L. Williams, and Freedom Struggles by Adriane Lentz-Smith. These works provided essential insight into the legal, military, and political context surrounding Edgar Caldwell’s case — and the broader Black struggle for dignity and justice in the post–World War I era. Special thanks to these scholars for their contributions to preserving this history. News content was accessed through a licensed subscription to Newspapers.com. The framing, interpretation, and storytelling are original to this platform.