ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - William Hallett Greene, the first African-American to graduate from the College of the City of New York, attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in April 1884. Chief Signal Officer Brig. Gen. William B. Hazen rejected Greene's initial application due to Congress restricting black soldiers to infantry and cavalry regiments.
The decision was later overruled by son of President Abraham Lincoln, Secretary of War Robert T. Lincoln. Greene went on to enlist in the Signal Corps, by Lincoln's direct order, September 26, 1884.
The Army organized two all-black divisions that later served in France during World War I, the 92nd and 93rd Divisions. The 92nd included the 325th Field Signal Battalion, which was the only African-American signal unit to serve during World War I in the U.S. First Army.
The battalion arrived in Breit, France, June 19, 1918, and served across the country. Given the high level of education and training among 325th soldiers, the battalion was divided into three companies - Company A, the radio company, Company B, the wire company, and Company C, the outpost company. These brave men later fought in the Meuse-Argonne campaign which ended the war.
Other signal corps firsts have direct ties to the U.S. Army Communication-Electronic Command. Brig. Gen. Emmett Paige Jr. made history March 24, 1976 by becoming the first African-American general officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Later promoted to lieutenant general, Paige was inducted in CECOM's first Hall of Fame class in 2016. He was the only person to command four separate organizations that later created what is known as CECOM today. Gen. Dennis Via, former CECOM commander from July 2007 to June 2009, became the first African-American signal officer to achieve the rank of general in 2012.
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