CRRES Associate Director Michelle Moyd has published an op-ed for the Washington Post, highlighting the overlooked role of Black veterans in WWI. A historian specializing in nineteenth-century African-American soldiers, as well as a veteran herself, Dr. Moyd is always a powerful and informed voice, particularly on Veterans Day, when friends and followers know her social media feeds will be filled with content that dives deeply into the complexities of this holiday, from remembrances to colonial violences.
This year, Professor Moyd's words are being shared more widely, in an op-ed that covers the origins of Veterans Day, provides an overview of African soldiers who fought in World War I, and considers how returning African American veterans were met with racist fears, rather than honor.
The piece is an important read that pushes us to consider, as Dr. Moyd concludes, "how easily racist ideologies undermine any easy claims to righteousness in struggles against tyranny, past and present."