Black Faces of War : A Legacy of Honor From the American Revolution to Today

This commemoration of African-Americans in the U.S. military includes contributions from W. Stephen Morris and Luther H. Smith, one of the most-celebrated Tuskegee Airmen. Other black military heroes featured in the book include Crispus Attucks, the first man to die in the Revolutionary War; Lt. James Reese Europe, who brought jazz music to Europe in 1918; Lt. Charity Adams, commander of the only all-black Women's Army Corps unit during World War II; and Gen. Colin Powell, who served with distinction in Vietnam, became the first African-American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War, and retired a four-star general before becoming the first African-American Secretary of State.

“Remember these men and women. . . . And remember, they were all Americans.”—Lt. Gen. Julius W. Becton Jr., USA (Ret.), from the foreword Long before Colin Powell became the first African-American four-star general in the U.S. Army, before President Truman wiped out official racial segregation in the armed forces with Executive Order 9981, before the Tuskegee Airmen earned their fame during World War II, and even before the courageous 54th Massachusetts Infantry fought valiantly in the Civil War, there were black men and women who served the United States in times of war. In Black Faces of War, more than 250 revealing archival images help tell the story through the powerful expressions on the subjects’ faces. Author Robert V. Morris brings his own unique viewpoint, coming from a family steeped in military tradition. He includes his own proud lineage as part of the African-American experience of war, offering a fresh perspective on the men and women who served their country with pride during both times of bondage and times of freedom. Black Faces of War recognizes and celebrates their service.

With a foreword by Lt. Gen. Julius W. Becton Jr., USA (Ret.), Black Faces of War also features the Medal of Honor winners and such celebrated units as the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, which courageously assaulted the Confederate stronghold of Fort Wagner; the 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers who protected the western frontier; the 92nd Division in World War I France; the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, 758th Tankers, and black women of the Women's Army Corps of World War II; the integrated units that fought in the latter half of the twentieth century; and the brave men and women who serve with honor and distinction on today's battlefields. --Book Jacket The American Revolution, slavery, and the antebellum South -- The Civil War, western expansion, and Buffalo Soldiers -- World War I : Black officers and the new Negroes -- World War II : Black women at war -- World War II : Tuskegee Airmen soaring above, 758th tankers rumbling below -- World War II : song of the South Pacific -- Korea and Vietnam : combat integration and Black power -- The modern era and the evolution of Black leadership Discusses the contributions of black soldiers in the United States, from the American Revolution to the battlefields of today, presenting individual and group stories, details of battles, and descriptions of army life. Lt. Charity Adams, the first African-American female officer in the Woman's Army Auxiliary Corps; and Harriet Tubman, who bravely shepherded slaves to freedom and served the Union during the Civil War Lt. James Reese Europe, who introduced jazz music to Europe during World War I Capt. Luther H. Smith and other celebrated Tuskegee Airmen of World War II Crispus Attucks, the first man to die in the American Revolution