Description
Book SynopsisOffers a challenging examination of the use and status of black Marines in United States military service during the Cold War era. These pioneering men experienced contested military integration, as well as multiple forms of institutional and social opposition, which called their humanity, manhood, and rights to full citizenship into question.
Trade ReviewThis remarkable book,
Contested Valor, greatly expands our knowledge of the underappreciated story of the introduction of African Americans into the Marine Corps. Cameron McCoy, through meticulous research and germane argumentation, shows the significance of integration from the first African Americans in the corps in 1942 through the divisive Vietnam War. It is a must-read for all those interested in military and African American history." - Kyle Longley, director of the War, Diplomacy, and Society Program at Chapman University and author of
The Morenci Marines: A Tale of Small Town America and the Vietnam WarTable of Contents
- Series Editor’s Foreword
- Preface
- The TrailblazersAcknowledgments
- IntroductionPartI: “Mr. President, What of the Marines?”
- 1. Token Devil Dogs
- 2. You People: Things Must Be Rough for Uncle Sam
- 3. The Myth of Image: American Culture& the Propaganda War Machine
- Part II: Bloods and the “White Man’ Folly”
- 4. A Return to Normalcy: “What Are You Doing Saluting That Nigger?”
- 5. Growing Pains: Black Solidarity and the Arsenal of White Supremacy
- 6. For a New Generation
- Conclusion
- Appendix: Supplemental Documents
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
