In the spring of 1942, a climate of racial tension simmered in Little Rock, Arkansas, particularly between the local white population and African American soldiers stationed at nearby Camp Joseph T. Robinson. On the evening of March 22, this tension erupted into violence that claimed the life of Sergeant Thomas P. Foster, a 25-year-old African American soldier from North Carolina.
Foster, known for being a disciplined and well-liked soldier, had ventured into the city's Black business and entertainment district on West 9th Street for an evening of leisure with fellow soldiers.
The catalyst for the fatal encounter was the arrest of a Black soldier, Private Albert Glover, for public drunkenness by white military police. Little Rock police officers Abner J. Hay and George Henson joined the military police, and the situation escalated as they began to beat Glover. Witnessing the assault, Sergeant Foster, who outranked the military policemen, intervened. He questioned why they were allowing civilian officers to assault a soldier and why they were using such excessive force. This challenge to their authority led to a scuffle, and a chase ensued.
Pinned in an alcove in front of a church, Foster was attacked by Officer Hay. As other officers held back the growing crowd, Foster was beaten with a nightstick. When Foster let go of the officer, Hay drew his weapon and shot the unarmed sergeant multiple times at point-blank range as he lay on the ground. Reports from witnesses stated that after shooting Foster, Officer Hay calmly reloaded his revolver and smoked a pipe. Thomas P. Foster died from his wounds several hours later at a local hospital.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Officer Hay claimed he acted in self-defense. Despite numerous witness accounts, both Black and white, stating that Foster was helpless on the ground when he was shot, a local investigation concluded that Hay's actions were justified. The Black community in Little Rock was outraged and demanded a federal investigation. Attorney Scipio Jones and various civil rights organizations argued that Hay had exceeded his authority. The U.S. War Department requested an investigation, and the case was brought before a federal grand jury. However, before the jury convened, Abner J. Hay enlisted in the army. The federal grand jury, which included three African American members, ultimately declined to indict him for the murder of Sergeant Thomas P. Foster, leaving a legacy of unresolved injustice. Students at Dunbar Junior College adopted the slogan “Remember Sergeant Thomas P. Foster” to protest the killing and the lack of accountability.
