Where D9 Trailblazers Stood: Fort Des Moines & the First Black Military Officers

In 1917, Fort Des Moines was selected as the nation’s first Provisional Army Officer Training School for African American men. This landmark moment in U.S. history also intersects with the legacy of the Divine Nine Greek organizations.

Over 1,200 Black men trained at Fort Des Moines to become Army officers — men who not only answered the call to serve their country, but who also brought with them the principles and leadership cultivated in Black Greek fraternal life.

Among those who passed through Fort Des Moines were prominent figures tied to the Divine Nine. For example, Elder Watson Diggs (a Kappa Alpha Psi founder), Edgar Amos Love and Frank Coleman (Omega Psi Phi founders), Charles H. Houston (a member of Alpha Phi Alpha), and Howard D. Queen (a brother of Phi Beta Sigma) all trained there. Their contributions spanned military, social justice, legal, and community power spheres.

But Fort Des Moines’ legacy didn’t stop there. During World War II, it became a training site for Black women entering military service through the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). Among them was Charity Adams, who later rose to become a lieutenant colonel. Her dedication and service stand as a testament to how women of the Divine Nine also shaped military history.

On June 14, 2025, a historical marker will be unveiled at the former training grounds—ensuring that the names, stories, and connections between Black military pioneers and the Black Greek organizations that nurtured them are never forgotten.

Source inspiration: WatchTheYard.com