In February of 1902, two African-American conscripts-turned-deserters from the invading U.S. armed forces were hanged in a plaza of Guinobatan, Albay.
Black is beautiful.
To our Bicolano comrades, let us remember them and may someday a monument will be erected in their memory mixed with the black volcanic soil of Mayon Volcano.
Magayon ang Mayón
Magayon ang Itum
Edmund du Bose at Lewis Russell
Mga sundalong itum
9th Cavalry Regiment, Hukbong Mananakop
ng Estados Unidos
Ninuno nila'y hinugot ang ugat,
Sa Kanlurang Africa o kay saklap,
Pilat sa likod, bakas kay lupit,
Sa taniman ng bulak ang sinapit.
Dasal sa Maykapal bakit 'di sapat,
Bayad ng among nagpakasarap,
Pilat sa likod, bakas kay lupit,
Sa taniman ng bulak ang sinapit.
Sundalong maitum sa dakong Albay,
Tanaw nila'y abaka, niyog at palay,
Kaisa ng Bikol, badil ang sakbit,
Kalaban ng agilang mandaragit.
Edmund at Lewis, tulad din ni Sakay,
Daang Kalayaan ang inilakbay,
Kaisa ng Bikol, badil ang sakbit,
Kalaban ng agilang mandaragit.
Magayon ang Mayón, magayon ang itum.
Magayon ang itum, magayon ang Mayón.
Historical Background
On February 13, 1902, two African American U.S. Army privates, Edmond Dubose and Lewis Russell were hanged before a crowd of 3,000 in Guinobatan, Albay. They deserted the 9th Cavalry in August 1901 to join the struggling Filipino armed forces in their fight against the American occupiers. Their regiment was conducting anti-insurgency operations in Albay. Eventually captured, they were among approximately 20 U.S. soldiers’ death-sentenced for desertion.
General Adna Chaffee approved the hangings — as did the U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt later announced that future desertion cases would not be capitally punished, so Dubose and Russell were the only two executed for that crime during the U.S. war against Philippine independence.
Source: Army and Navy Journal, XXXVII (Nov. 11, 1899)
About the author:
LUIS ALEXANDER GENERAL UMALI graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts in Diliman, major in Visual Communication. He did illustrations for the Interpress Service, Diokno Foundation, Ibon Foundation. He is the composer of “Oh ang Pinoy!”, a ragtime music for the PETA play “Nasa Puso ang Amerika” on the life of Filipino diaspora icon Carlos Bulosan.