Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. became the first Black general in the Army in 1940

October 25

On October 25, 1940, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. became the first Black general in the Army. 

In 1940, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. was promoted to brigadier general, making him the first Black general in the U.S. Army. Davis served in the Army for 50 years before retiring. 

Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. died on November 26, 1970.

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Sources

Benjamin O. Davis Sr.. National Museum of the United States Army. (n.d.). https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/benjamin-o-davis-sr/