Seleste L. Chandler papers

Collection — Container: small collections

Identifier: 2405

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Seleste L. Chandler papers document Chandler's service as an African American medic serving in France during World War I. The collection includes Chandler's diary, photographs, correspondence, and an obituary notice.

The highlight of the collection is a diary kept by Chandler from approximately June 1917, when he entered Jenner Medical College in Chicago, Illinois, to February 1919, when he returned to the United States from his tour of duty. Chandler briefly describes his training at Jenner and his assignment to Company A of the 350th New York Battalion and the medical detachment of that battalion. The battalion traveled from Camp Grant near Rockford, Illinois, to Camp Upton on Long Island, New York, before leaving the United States on June 10, 1918 and arriving in Brest, France, on June 19. During his time in France, Chandler described his training, as well as battles, providing first aid in the midst of warfare, the capture of German soldiers, and being gassed by the Germans. The diary also lists the sectors, cities, towns, and villages visited by Chandler; personnel in the medical detachment of the 350th New York Battalion; equipment lists; and addresses of individuals in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Chicago.

Other items include three postcards and a letter (1918-1919) from Chandler to his family while overseas and upon his return to Camp Upton. Two photographs - one of the medical detachment of the 350th New York Battalion and one of Seleste Chandler's brother, Charles, in Chicago - as well as an obituary notice for Chandler are present.

Dates

Created: 1917-1920
Other: Date acquired: 11/30/2000

Creator

Chandler, Seleste L., 1893-1920 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright to these papers has not been assigned to the Amistad Research Center. It is the responsibility of an author to secure permission for publication from the holder of the copyright to any material contained in this collection.

Biographical Note

Seleste Louis Chandler was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, around January 2, 1893. He was one of five siblings - Blackshire, Charlie, John P., and Katie Lizzie - born to Mille Rueben and Robert Louis Chandler, a Frenchman. In later years, Millie married Charles Allums, with whom she had two additional children, Norbert R. and Emma Lee.

Little is known about Seleste's early years in Shreveport. He may have attended school in Chicago with his brother, Norbert, and other family members who moved there possibly in the mid teens. Norbert married Rachel V. Simpson on August 2, 1923 in Chicago. However, in a postcard to his mother from Seleste in November 1918, she was still living in Shreveport. Selester's sister, Katie Lizzie, married Dr. Fred Thomas Jones Sr. of Homer, Louisiana, and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he set up practice and opened the first hospital for African Americans.

Chandler entered Jenner Medical College in Chicago on June 18, 1917. He completed a ten week special course in science and medicine, and was assigned to Company A, 350th New York Battalion on December 10 of that year. He was then transferred to the Medical Detachment, where he was taught first aid.

He served in France during World War I from June 1918 until early 1919. When he returned to the United States, he was not in good health. He died in Chicago on Saturday, October 23, 1920 at the age of 27.