May 15, 2019 - Dr. Robert F. Jefferson, Jr.

From the blood soaked earth of the American Civil War to the booby-trapped jungle pathways of Vietnam and beyond, 89 African American Soldiers have earned the highest military accolade in the land – the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, 18-year-old Private Milton Olive III of the 503rd Infantry Regiment selflessly threw his body over a grenade tossed into the middle of his platoon. His actions earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor and echo the heroism of the first African American recipient almost 100 years earlier. During the American Civil War, Sgt. William Carney sustained severe wounds, picked up his fallen regimental colors and rallied the men to the top of Fort Wagner, proclaiming "Boys, the old flag never touched the ground!" In this lecture, Dr. Robert F. Jefferson Jr, author of Brothers in Valor: Battlefield Stories of the 89 African Americans Awarded the Medal of Honor, talks about the role of African Americans in the history of the U.S. Armed Forces. From the teeth of World War II tank battles to the sands of Iraq and Afghanistan, African American service members have challenged the ideals of service, sacrifice, and patriotism.

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