Fighting for Democracy
eBook - PDF

Fighting for Democracy

Black Veterans and the Struggle Against White Supremacy in the Postwar South

  1. 288 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Fighting for Democracy

Black Veterans and the Struggle Against White Supremacy in the Postwar South

About this book

How military service led black veterans to join the civil rights struggle

Fighting for Democracy shows how the experiences of African American soldiers during World War II and the Korean War influenced many of them to challenge white supremacy in the South when they returned home. Focusing on the motivations of individual black veterans, this groundbreaking book explores the relationship between military service and political activism. Christopher Parker draws on unique sources of evidence, including interviews and survey data, to illustrate how and why black servicemen who fought for their country in wartime returned to America prepared to fight for their own equality.

Parker discusses the history of African American military service and how the wartime experiences of black veterans inspired them to contest Jim Crow. Black veterans gained courage and confidence by fighting their nation's enemies on the battlefield and racism in the ranks. Viewing their military service as patriotic sacrifice in the defense of democracy, these veterans returned home with the determination and commitment to pursue equality and social reform in the South. Just as they had risked their lives to protect democratic rights while abroad, they risked their lives to demand those same rights on the domestic front.

Providing a sophisticated understanding of how war abroad impacts efforts for social change at home, Fighting for Democracy recovers a vital story about black veterans and demonstrates their distinct contributions to the American political landscape.

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Yes, you can access Fighting for Democracy by Christopher S. Parker in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Politics & International Relations & Military & Maritime History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. List of Illustrations
  6. Preface and Acknowledgments
  7. Introduction
  8. 1. War, Military Service, and the Prospect for Change: A Glance at History
  9. 2. Military Service and Resistance: Toward a Theory of Black Republicanism
  10. 3. Taking the Crooked with the Straight: The Pros and Cons of African American Military Experience during the1940s and '50s
  11. 4. When Jim Crow Meets Uncle Sam: The Veteran Returns to Dixie
  12. 5. Exploring the Attitudinal Consequences of African American Military Experience
  13. 6. Dying to Participate: Political Participation as a Form of Protest
  14. Conclusion: Taps for Jim Crow in the Postwar South
  15. Appendix A: Study Description, Coding, Question Wording, and Other Estimates from Chapters 5 and 6
  16. Appendix B: Content Analysis of the Chicago Defender
  17. Appendix C: Interview Methodology and Material
  18. Appendix D: Profiles of Selected Black Veteran Activists
  19. References
  20. Index