Willard S. Townsend was born 126 years ago tomorrow (December 4, 1895), in Cincinnati, Ohio. During and after high school, Townsend worked in the Cincinnati Union Terminal as a “red cap.” A red cap is a baggage porter at railway stations. Red cap positions were predominantly held by Blacks well into the 1950s.
World War I began in Europe in August 1914; Townsend joined the U.S. Army in 1916. He served as a lieutenant in France in the 372nd Infantry Regiment. After returning from the war,...