Orleanis Burton was the first Black man from Brockton to volunteer for military service and the only Black resident of the City killed in World War I.
Born in Virginia, Mr. Burton moved to Brockton with his family in 1905 and attended the former Sprague School. As a young man, he worked at a local market and later at a factory in Whitman. Driven by what he described as a duty to “fight for democracy,” he voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army in World War I.
Private Burton served in Company E of the 367th Infantry Regiment. He was just 25 years old and had been in the Army for only two months when he was killed in action in France on July 2, 1918. Shortly before deploying, he had married his wife, Elizabeth.
In 1941, the City of Brockton dedicated a small park in his memory at the intersection of School, Commercial, and Crescent Streets. The Brockton Beautification Committee installed a commemorative plaque there in 1986, and in 2022, the plaque was rededicated to ensure his legacy endures. His “Hometown Hero” banner can also be seen on Belmont Street near Rockland Trust.
Though his life was brief, Orleanis Burton’s courage and commitment to service reflect the enduring spirit of Brockton, the City of Champions.