Over one million Black men and women served in World War II. Black troops were at Normandy, Iwo Jima, and the Battle of the Bulge, serving in segregated units and performing vital support jobs. The stories of these Black veterans have long been ignored, as the myth of the “Good War” fought by the “Greatest Generation” has prevailed. Half American shares the experiences and impact of such heroes as Thurgood Marshall, the chief lawyer for the NAACP; Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., leader of the Tuskegee Airmen; Ella Baker, the civil rights leader who advocated on the home front for Black soldiers, veterans, and their families; James Thompson, who laid bare the hypocrisy of fighting against fascism abroad when racism still reigned at home; and poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a war correspondent for the Black press. Don’t miss Dr. Delmont’s meticulously researched retelling and learning more about these individuals’ bravery and patriotism in the face of racism.
