Fighting Wars & Racism: Teaching the History of Black Americans in WWII

476 5th Avenue,New York NY 10018

29 March, 2023

Description

Black Americans played pivotal roles in the mobilization for World War II. They served in the armed forces, engaged in combat, and worked in war production, all while battling racist violence and discrimination in the military and on the home front. Before the U.S. even entered the war, Black Americans recognized facism for the threat that it was and developed a myriad of strategies to combat it—and yet, their stories are excluded from many historical accounts and textbooks that cover the war. In this talk, Matthew Delmont will discuss his new book, Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad. Delmont highlights the crucial contributions of Black Americans during World War II, considers why this history has been neglected, and reveals how looking at Black Americans' experiences during World War II changes our understanding of the United States' response to Nazism and fascism in the twentieth century. Teachers will gain a richer understanding of WWII from the perspectives of Black soldiers, veterans, and civilians and will discuss how these stories continue to be erased and omitted with recent attacks on the teaching of Black history. Participants will receive a free signed copy of Half American, while supplies last, and eligible NYS teachers will receive 1 hour of CTLE credit. Matthew Delmont is a history professor at Dartmouth College where he teaches courses about African American history and the history of civil rights. He is the author of four additional books: Black Quotidian, Why Busing Failed, Making Roots, and The Nicest Kids in Town. Emily Brooks, a historian and curriculum writer from NYPL’s Center for Educators and Schools, will join Matthew Delmont in the conversation. For more information about The New York Public Library’s Center for Educators and Schools you can visit us at nypl.org/ces or subscribe to our monthly newsletter here! If you have any questions feel free to reach out to [email protected]. To stay updated follow us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. PUBLIC NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING | Programs are photographed and recorded by the New York Public Library. Attending this event indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any all purposes of the New York Public Library. PRESS | Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to [email protected]. Please note that professional video recordings are prohibited without expressed consent.