State Historical Society of Iowa

World War I YMCA Educational Secretaries, 1918

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A military picture of 10 soldiers (1 African American) who are YMCA Educational Secretaries from Camp Dodge in 1918.
Courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, 1918

Description

The photograph is of 10 World War I YMCA Educational Secretaries who are stationed at Camp Dodge in Des Moines, Iowa. The image was taken in 1918, the last year of the war. 

Source-Dependent Questions

  • What do you notice about the photograph that seems unusual when you think about photos of military personnel, such as the African-American Captains at Ft. Des Moines, October 15, 1917? What do you notice about the body language and facial expressions?
  • Knowing information about the time period and its history, why do you speculate that there is only one African American in this picture?