#Onthisday in 1866, Cathay Williams enlisted in the U.S. Army under the pseudonym William Cathay. In the 19th century, she became the 1st African American woman to serve, and the only documented to serve disguised as a man. At 17 years old, Williams first served as an Army cook and a washerwoman. During this time, African Americans who had been captured were forced to serve in military support as contraband for Union forces. On November 15, 1866, Williams enlisted in the U.S. Regular Army under the false name "William Cathay." She was assigned to the 38th U.S. infantry Regiment, one of the all-black regiments recently established, that would become part of the renown Buffalo Soldiers. The Army did not require full medical exams at this time, and so she was able to pass as a man. It was later when Williams began to feel the effects of smallpox, leading to her hospitalization, that it was discovered she was actually woman. #HiddenHerstory

A post shared by NMAAHC (@nmaahc) on Nov 15, 2017 at 9:38am PST