Warner A. Ross

Born in Indiana in 1879, Warner Anthony Ross trained as a lawyer and later built a legal career in several American cities. During World War I, he volunteered for service, became an officer, and served in France with the 365th Infantry, an African American regiment of the 92nd Division.

Ross was cited for bravery and later wrote My Colored Battalion, a memoir based on his wartime experience. The book is still noted for its firsthand perspective on combat leadership and on the treatment of Black soldiers in the U.S. Army.

He died in 1940. Reliable biographical details about his broader literary life appear to be limited, so most surviving information centers on his military service and the book that grew out of it.