Since the American War of Independence, Black soldiers had served in both the British and Canadian armies, and fought in British wars throughout the nineteenth century. At the outbreak of World War I, however, most Black Canadian volunteers were rejected on the basis of their skin colour. Finally, in 1916, the first and only Black battalion in Canadian military history was authorized. The No. 2 Construction Battalion, CEF, consisted of approximately 600 soldiers, and was commended for its discipline and service at the end of the war. It was disbanded in 1920.

Includes index. Earlier version published under title: Canada's black battalion. Halifax : Society for the Protection and Preservation of Black Culture in Nova Scotia, 1986.