The Tuskegee Airmen & Beyond: The Road to Equality

The book chronicles the history of African Americans in the military, from the earliest struggle for liberty from slavery to the present day, including the Spanish American War, World War II, and the Civil Rights Act. It highlights the achievements and struggles of African Americans in the military, and notes that while progress has been made, there is still work to be done to achieve equality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 295 pages
Publication date: 21 September 2023
Publisher: Dalton Watson Fine Books

The struggle for liberty from slavery was a pivotal period in American history, marked by the involvement of 200,000 African American slaves and freemen on both sides. While some individuals did manage to gain their freedom, the majority were forced to return to the same conditions that had been imposed upon them by their owners. The abolition of slavery did not automatically grant them equality, and they continued to face discrimination and segregation.

Twenty years after the Spanish American War, the Great War emerged as a war to end all wars. However, despite the valor of over three hundred African American soldiers who were awarded the Croix de Guerre, the highest award for bravery in France, only one of them received the Medal of Honor from the United States. This discrepancy occurred seventy-three years after the soldier's death on the battlefield.

World War II brought significant changes to the military, with the formation of the first-ever all-black-crewed fighter squadron, the 99th, followed by the 332nd Fighter Group. These men not only served with distinction in their respective theaters of war but also played a crucial role in advocating for desegregation in the Armed Forces. President Harry Truman's Executive Order 9981, issued in 1948, preceded the Civil Rights Act by twenty years and marked a significant step towards achieving racial equality.

Since President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law in 1964, significant progress has been made in the fight for civil rights. African Americans have achieved remarkable success in their chosen careers, with four-star generals, astronauts, and even an African American President. This remarkable journey is documented in this book.

Weight: 1130g
Dimension: 240 x 209 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781854432582