chapter from book War! What Is It Good For? : Black Freedom Struggles and the U. S. Military from World War II to Iraq by Kimberley L.Phillips.
Stories of African American Soldiers from the Veterans History Project (Library of Congress) - includes audio of interviews, images, photos, and brief bios.
"For James Allen, joining the Army was a means of escape from life in racially segregated Florida in the 1950s." Allen served in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
"I am an American. And when I go home [from Korea], I can't even sit and eat where I want to. Can't ride the bus. Can't get a job I'm qualified [for]. Then what the hell am I fighting for?" (Video Interview, Part 2, 22:03)