Fort Polk renamed in honor of Black WWI hero Sgt. Henry Johnson.

Fort Johnson, a U.S. Army base in Louisiana, has been renamed after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black hero of World War I who received the Medal of Honor nearly a century later. The renaming is part of the U.S. military’s efforts to address historic racial injustice. Johnson fought off a German night raid near the Argonne Forest, was wounded 21 times, and prevented a wounded Black comrade from being taken prisoner. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2015. The renaming of nine Army posts marks the first time bases will be named after Black soldiers and women.