Date

5-2023

Document Type

Capstone Project (Open Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Department

Humanities & Communication

Major

Humanities & Communication

First Advisor

Lee Ritscher

Abstract

The First and Second World Wars were enormous facilitators for drawing people from all over to enlist. Nowhere was this more the case than in the United States after it entered the war in 1916, and later in 1941. Although a vast majority of those who joined were white, a smaller percentage were African Americans. Due to the racial relations of the time, they were separated into their own black only regiments. The 369th Infantry Regiment would come to be known as the Harlem Hellfighters and were sanctioned to work in the French Army. The 99th Pursuit Squadron, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen, would fight against the Axis powers in multiple regions and would create massive strides to improve integration in the military. The story of their trials and tribulations during the wars deserve to be represented.

I have been allowed, through this essay, to become enlightened to the experiences these men endured. I was also able to see how the war experiences affected race relations in the United States and how these men helped to shape the future of segregation in the military. The sources utilized were detrimental in order to understand how these incredibly brave men helped to shape the country, and the entire world through their efforts in Europe and the regions in which they fought.

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