The Harlem Hellfighters of the New York National Guard's 369th Infantry Regiment were posthumously honored this week with a Congressional Gold Medal. They received the highest civilian honor given by Congress, decades after their service during World War I was largely ignored by top military brass — and amid broader efforts to revisit how American history is remembered.

"It's never too late to do the right thing," said Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., at the Wednesday ceremony celebrating the troops and their families.

"Today we honor the legacy of your fathers, your grandfathers and your great-grandfathers who served our nation under extreme circumstances and despite intense discrimination. We are all better for their service," Suozzi said.

The lawmaker first introduced a bill to honor the s

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