"Inman's War is on one level an ugly story about America and racism and
prejudice and discrimination and sexism, but it is also a human story, a
story about real people, a story of friendship and loyalty, a story of
the human spirit as it tries to overcome adversity.It is a magnificent
slice of history." -Dick Gregory, from the Introduction
Information about life in the "Colored Battalions" of WWII is very
limited; this book takes a look inside a part of history hidden from the
eyes of the world. Those who served in these battalions were unsung
heroes of the Allies' fight for freedom and rights for all, yet they
were often sacrificed along the way to attaining those goals. At long
last, their story is told.
Some of the most important and symbolic events in American history end
up relegated to the dark corners of memory. Events once so significant
become little more than footnotes, little more than wisps of story once
held dear. This is such a story. There are accounts of the contributions
of African Americans during the great conflict of WWII. However, most of
these are group histories related to units such as the Red Ball Express,
Tuskegee Airmen, and the Buffalo Soldiers. Individual, personal accounts
of life and service in what were called the "Colored Battalions" are
almost non-existent.
This story is based in part upon the nearly one hundred and fifty
letters written by Sergeant Inman Perkins during that period that detail
his day to day life and his marriage while on leave to his young bride,
Olivia. This book presents a look into the past that many thought locked
away and forgotten forever, a look into an important slice of our
American heritage off limits for too long to the eyes of history. From
basic training to the war in Europe, Inman's War presents the fresh
territory of a story not told before. It is the story of an individual,
Inman Perkins, and it is also the story of the other African American
heroes of this era.
