"All history is personal," I've told my students for a long time. My personal history is inextricably tied to the events in the military history of the United States. Had not been for the legacy of the soldiers of the 62nd and 65th Regiments, United States Colored Infantry, I would not be here at all (story coming). Much later, the Cold War became the subtext of my generation, and oddly, the pathway from poverty to prosperity for my family specifically, as well as for hundreds of thosuands (if not millions) of black families in America. Indeed, every bit of formal education I received after high school--college, postgraduate studies, and law school--was paid for out of the U.S. defense budget.
The truth is, however, that my success was paid for by the African-Americans who, from the time of the Revolution, continually had to prove their worth to the defense of this nation. So in this last week of Black History Month, GeneaBlogie will present stories of African-American military history. Most will be new even to those know something of black history.
I also tell my students, "Your history is my history; mine is yours." That's true because I'm sitting here beside you--how we each got here is relevant. Our presentation of these stories is part of our commitment to "Learn, Share, Enjoy & Appreciate."
NEXT: The 62nd & 65th Regiments, United States Colored Infantry--They Had a Dream
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I'm looking forward to your upcoming blogs about African-American military history. Sounds very interesting! I always enjoy hearing about various ethnic and racial groups' contributions in American history, even when they're not my own. It widens my perspective and gives me a more rounded, balanced view.
Post a Comment