Resources for Chapter 8 – Black Soldiers in War and Service
Opening Hook
Documents
Document 8.1 – The Boston Massacre’s First Victim
Document 8.2 – 1st Rhode Island Regiment
Document 8.3 – The Spanish-American War
Document 8.4 – A World War I Black Officer Reflects
Document 8.5 – World War I Harlem Hellfighters
Document 8.6 – William H. Hastie’s Resignation Letter
Document 8.7 – The Heroism of Charles Jackson French
Document 8.8 – World War II Nurse Ethel Ross
Document 8.10 – Vietnam Veteran Bobby Rush
Check for Understanding
Additional Resources
Books
Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad
Matthew F. Delmont, 2022
View on Amazon
This book details the story of the “Double V” campaign, focusing on how Black soldiers fought for democracy abroad and against racism and segregation at home. The book asserts that the sacrifices of these soldiers were foundational to the successes of the later Civil Rights Movement.
This book can be supplemented by an audio interview with the author: https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2022/10/24/how-black-americans-fought-world-war-ii-at-home-and-abroad
Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940–1965
Morris J. MacGregor Jr., 1981
Free online
MacGregor’s book details the long-fought battle to desegregate the U.S. military following President Truman’s Executive Order 9981 in 1948. The book highlights how the Korean War served as the crucial test case for this policy, showing that segregation was inefficient in combat and that integrated units often performed better.
Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans
Wallace Terry, 1984
View on Amazon
Twenty Black veterans speak about their experiences in Vietnam. The testimonies reveal the paradox that Black soldiers faced—fighting for democracy abroad while confronting pervasive racism both within the U.S. military and at home.
Documentary
Curator Chat Series: The African American Military Experience with Mary N. Elliott
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwUWtWClzKg
Mary N. Elliott, Curator at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, explores the military service of African Americans—from the American Revolution to the War on Terror. Screening short sections of this throughout the chapter will provide more historical context about each period.
Films
Red Tails
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2012.
Red Tails dramatizes the service of the Tuskegee Airmen. The film focuses on the pilots’ struggles against not only the German Luftwaffe but also the racism and institutional prejudice they faced from their own American command. It celebrates the unit’s eventual success as an elite, indispensable fighter escort group. Students could view the film and pick a scene, investigate the historical accuracy, then present findings to their classmates.
The Six Triple Eight
Netflix, 2024.
This film tells the true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female unit sent overseas during World War II. Facing racism and sexism, the 855 women were tasked with clearing a massive backlog of millions of pieces of mail in Europe. Led by Major Charity Adams, the unit achieved this nearly impossible task in just six months, greatly boosting troop morale. Screening this film sheds light on the often overlooked role of women and would serve as an engaging celebration of their service.
Websites
Double Victory: The African American Experience
National Museum of African American History and Culture
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/double-victory
The online exhibition explores the dual battle African Americans fought when choosing to serve in the military—against racism within the services and for their own liberty and citizenship. Sharing images from this site will deepen student understanding of the campaign.
African Americans in the US Army
Center of Military History, United States Army
https://history.army.mil/Research/Reference-Topics/African-Americans-in-the-US-Army/
This is a comprehensive reference resource on the history of Black soldiers in the United States Army. It provides detailed historical overviews, information on significant units (such as the Buffalo Soldiers and the USCT), and links to other official documents and published works. Teachers could assign students to research the Buffalo Soldiers and discuss the complex historical context of their service.
African Americans in the Korean War
Korean War Legacy Foundation
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/chapters/african-americans-in-the-korean-war/
This website details the role of Black soldiers in the Korean conflict, emphasizing that their exemplary service ultimately demonstrated the necessity and success of integration.
The Thurgood Marshall Institute: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Military
https://tminstituteldf.org/tmi-briefs-ldf-and-the-military/
This site chronicles the legal battles fought by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) in the mid-20th century to defend Black soldiers and ensure that they received equal rights and fair treatment.
Glossary
- advocacy
- Public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.
- battalion
- A military unit typically consisting of 300 to 1,000 soldiers, usually commanded by a lieutenant colonel.
- bias
- Prejudice in favor of or against something, someone, or a group.
- Black Power
- A movement emphasizing Black pride, self-determination, and political and economic power, emerging in the mid-1960s.
- boycott
- A refusal to buy, use, or participate in something as a form of protest.
- cavalry
- Military troops who originally fought on horseback, later in armored vehicles.
- discharge
- The release of a member from the armed services.
- disproportionate
- Out of proportion.
- draft
- Compulsory military service; the selection of individuals for required military duty.
- fair housing
- The principle and laws prohibiting discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, or national origin.
- sit-in
- A form of protest where people occupy seats in a segregated facility and refuse to leave until served or demands are met.