Earlier this week our nation observed Veterans Day – the annual holiday to remember and honor the service of military veterans. Yet at the same time there was a disturbing report about how our own government acted to remove plaques that honored Black World War II veterans at a military cemetery in the Netherlands. The cemetery at Margraten includes the graves of over 8,000 American troops who fought in World War II. The cemetery’s visitor center features displays that tell the stories of those buried there. The two plaques recently removed were about Black veterans. One plaque told the story of George H. Pruitt who died while trying to save a fellow soldier. The second plaque focused on the struggle of all Black veterans who fought both for freedom overseas and freedom from racial injustice at home. This was known at the “Double V Campaign.” The story about the plaque removals came to light primarily due to the efforts of local Dutch citizens and authorities who are demanding that the plaques be displayed. Some Dutch citizens are proposing a separate memorial to Black World War II veterans on Dutch ground so that it cannot be removed by US government action.
The story of the plaques at the Margraten cemetery is another example of how the Trump administration is distorting and whitewashing our nation’s history. The service of Black veterans throughout our nation’s history is the story of patriotism in the face of enslavement, legal segregation, and systemic racism. To erase their stories is to erase the reality of our ongoing struggle to live into our founding principles of equality, liberty, and justice for all. We owe a special debt of gratitude to these veterans and to the people of the Netherlands who honor them more than our own government.
The first video posted below provides further details about the story of the Margraten cemetery. The second video focuses on the “Double V Campaign” of Black veterans of World War II. This is not just Black history, it is essential American history.