Date with History

Torchbearers of Democracy:
African-American Soldiers in the World War I Era

Thursday, February 16, 2011
7:30 pm

Doors open at 6:45 pm
Free parking and admission
For more information call: 630 260 8187

On April 2, 1917, Woodrow Wilson thrust the United States into World War I by declaring, "The world must be made safe for democracy." For the 380,000 African American soldiers who fought and labored in the global conflict, these words carried life or death meaning. Join us as Chad L. Williams discusses the central role of African American soldiers in World War I and how they, along with race activists and ordinary citizens alike, committed to fighting for democracy at home and beyond. A book signing will follow.

As an Associate Professor of History at Hamilton College, Chad L. Williams has taught courses on U.S., African American, and African diaspora history. He received the Society for Military History 2011 Distinguished Book Award for United States Military History for his book, Torchbearers of Democracy: African American Soldiers in the World War I Era.

1.5 Teacher CPDU credits available for this event. Click here for details.

Click here to visit the speaker's website.

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