The real color of the US flag
“We do so much in this country to celebrate and honor folks who risk their lives on the battlefield, but we don’t remember that black veterans were more likely to be attacked for their service than honored for it.” - Bryan Stevenson, founder of Equal Justice Initiative (a legal non profit in Montgomery, AL)
As you know Memorial Day is a day of remembering the US Military who gave died while in military service. But because of things I’ve learned while doing the podcast, I feel like I need to share some facts about who has paid the highest price, proportionally, in service of this country
The ethnic group within the U.S. military that has historically experienced the highest percentage of casualties in war by their share of enlistment has been African Americans.
“When the Civil War broke out, the Union was reluctant to let black soldiers fight at all, citing concerns over white soldiers’ morale and the respect that black soldiers would feel entitled to when the war ended.” (https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-tragic-forgotten-history-of-black-military-veterans)
The truth is, African Americans have consistently made up a significant portion of U.S. military personnel, particularly in times of conflict like the Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Although African Americans represent about 12-13% of the U.S. population, they have often had higher casualty rates in proportion to their enlistment numbers.
This is due to various factors, including:
Disproportionate Representation in Combat Units: Historically, African American soldiers were often assigned to front-line and combat-intensive roles, where the risk of casualties was higher.
Racial Inequality in Military Assignment: In some periods, such as during the World Wars, African American troops were segregated and often placed in units with less advanced equipment and training, which led to higher casualty rates.
Voluntary and Draft Service: During major wars like the Vietnam War, African American men were drafted or volunteered in larger proportions relative to their population, and many found themselves in particularly dangerous combat positions.
For example:
Vietnam War: African American soldiers made up about 12% of the U.S. military but represented approximately 20% of combat deaths, indicating a higher casualty rate relative to their proportion of the overall military force.
This trend is consistent across various conflicts, and African American soldiers have borne a heavy toll in terms of military casualties over the years.
However, it's important to note that other ethnic groups, such as Native Americans and Hispanic Americans, have also faced significant casualties relative to their proportion of enlistment in certain wars.
All gave some. Some gave all. Some gave far more than the majority of us have deserved.