Fort Hood 43 facts for kids

After Martin Luther King Jr. was killed on April 4, 1968, many U.S. soldiers were sent to cities like Chicago. Their job was to help control large crowds or protests. These soldiers were stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.

The Fort Hood 43 Protest

In August 1968, another group of soldiers from Fort Hood was told to go to Chicago. They were needed to help keep order during a big political meeting called the Democratic National Convention. But at midnight on August 23, sixty African American soldiers decided to protest. They held a peaceful sit-in on the base. This meant they sat down and refused to go.

Why the Soldiers Protested

Most of these soldiers felt uncomfortable with the idea of policing other black Americans. They worried they might be asked to act against people who looked like them. Several soldiers said they grew up in similar low-income neighborhoods. They understood why some people in those areas might feel that protests were needed.

The Peaceful Sit-in Begins

The soldiers' protest was nonviolent. They simply sat and refused to leave. Early the next morning, military leaders met with the protesting soldiers. They listened to their concerns and complaints. Seventeen of the soldiers decided to leave the protest. However, forty-three soldiers chose to continue their sit-in.

What Happened Next

Because they refused to report for their morning duties, the forty-three protesting soldiers were placed in the Fort Hood stockade. This is a type of military jail. These soldiers became known as the “Fort Hood 43.” Their refusal to go to Chicago was one of the biggest acts of protest in U.S. military history. Over the next few weeks and months, many of the Fort Hood 43 faced military trials. They received punishments like difficult work, losing some of their pay, and being lowered in rank.