Race in the Crucible of War: African American Servicemen and the War in Vietnam

Gerald Goodwin is an adjunct professor of history at Le Moyne College and adjunct professor of political science at Onondaga Community College–SUNY.

When African American servicemen went to fight in the Vietnam War, discrimination and prejudice followed them. Even in a faraway country, their military experiences were shaped by the racial environment of the home front. War is often viewed as a crucible that can transform society, but American race relations proved remarkably durable.