Meet the standout soldiers, spies and homefront forces who fought for America, from the Revolution to World War II. During the American Revolution, thousands of Black Americans fought -- on both sides of the conflict. As America's Civil War raged, with the enslavement of millions of people hanging in the balance, African Americans didn't just sit on the sidelines. Whether enslaved, escaped or born free, many sought to actively affect the outcome. WWI: African American troops of the 369th Infantry, formerly the 15th Regiment New York Guard, who were among the most highly decorated upon its return home, 1918. They were also known as the Harlem Hellfighters. World War II: the first Black aviators to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps, the Tuskegee Airmen broke through a massive segregation barrier in the American military.