The curved stereoview photo shows Black troops standing in formation during a train stop. The caption reads “19118–The left margin reads “Keystone View Company Manufacturers, Publishers, Made in USA, Copyrighted, Underwood and Underwood” The right margin reads: “Meadville, Pa,. New York, N.Y., Portland, Oregon, London, Eng., Sydney, Aus.”
Back test reads “19118 Colored Troops Taking Train Rest. When our troops were being sent to France some of them had to make long and tedious journeys by rail to the embarkment port, where they went aboard the transport that carried them across the Atlantic. at railway division points, wherever it was possible to do so, the soldiers were allowed to leave the train, and frequently were marched through the main part of the city in which they were stopping. this gave the men a chance to stretch their legs, and to partially overcome the staleness that comes from close confinement on board a train for several days. it also enabled the men to get glimpses of some of the cities through which they passed and gave the people an opportunity of seeing the kind of soldiers that were being turned out of our cantonments for service across the seas. Wherever our boys detrained they received a warm welcome from the population as they marched through the city streets. Those of us who had the opportunity of seeing some of our colored troops, on such occasions, remember the splendid appearance they made as they swung along the street, singing songs as they marched as only colored men can sing. Our view shows a trainload of colored troops taking a train rest on their way to the port of embarkation. Our colored troops rendered splendid service and made a record of which they may well be proud. Most of our colored soldiers are men of splendid physique and soldierly bearing. In the late war they rendered loyal service to their country and humanity.”
“Copyright to The Keystone View Company”