Logo of the Double V Campaign in World War II
As we commemorate Veterans Day this week, we remember those who put their lives on the line to defend freedom and democracy that are the foundational principles of our nation. We also need to remember that for millions of Black veterans who fought in foreign wars, they had to fight for those same principles at home. From the Revolutionary War to the most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Black people have served in all of our nation’s wars. Yet for most of our history, Black veterans and other veterans of color were denied the freedom and equality of white veterans. In both World War I and World War II, Black veterans who expected to exercise their full citizenship rights in light of their service instead encountered segregation, verbal assaults, and physical violence. The first video posted below focuses on the Red Summer of 1919 when racial violence broke out around the country, much of it aimed at keeping Black veterans of WWI “in their place.” Conditions of racial injustice did not improve much by World War II. Black service members and civilians developed the Double V Campaign that stood for “Double Victory At Home and Abroad.” The second video below lifts up that campaign and makes connections between that time and ours. Unfortunately the “victory at home’” did not happen as they hoped. The tragic case of Isaac Woodard is an example of the ongoing racism that many Black veterans experienced. His story is the subject of an episode of American Experience on PBS. The trailer for that episode is also posted below. Despite the many forms of racism suffered by Black Veterans returning from foreign wars including WWI and WWII, their persistent commitment to our nation’s founding principles helped to pave the way for the modern Civil Rights Movement. Thank you for your service, and may we honor that service by continuing the struggle for racial justice today.