Although African Americans have always fought and died in defense of
their country, even before there was a United States of America, it has
always been an uphill struggle for them to partake of this fundamental
obligation of citizenship. Despite hundreds of years of evidence to the
contrary. European Americans, both well meaning and hostile, have
persisted in questioning the ability of African Americans to fight in
mortal combat for their country. So widespread and deep seated were
these prejudices that supposedly scientific studies were used to try to
keep African Americans from flying combat aircraft in World War II. Even
today, with the armed forces fully integrated and following the
ascension of Colin Powell to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the
highest uniformed post in America's military, race still matters. Yet,
as shown in The Right to Fight, the valorous service of African
Americans in defense of their country is all the more remarkable given
the nature of the society they have defended.