AchievementJanuary 1917· politics
Emmett J. Scott Appointed Special Assistant to Secretary of War
Emmett J. Scott, Booker T. Washington's former secretary, was appointed Special Assistant to the Secretary of War, tasked with addressing the concerns of Black soldiers and civilians during World War I. Scott served as a liaison between Black America and the federal government, documenting racial conditions in the military and working to improve treatment of Black servicemen.