In the past few decades, African Americans have begun
to uncover a history that was largely discarded,
overlooked, and ignored. After all, history books are
written by and for those in power and reflect their point
of view.

European exploration of the New World in the 15th,
16th, and 17th centuries revealed both alien peoples
thought to be in need of civilizing and vast tracts of
underutilized land. As European traders tapped into
the centuries-old internal African slave trade, they
began to realize the potential benefits of slavery. They
could draw on the tropical farming experience and
disease resistance of Africans and work enormous
tracts of land for only the upkeep of the slave
population. In the process of developing the New
World, Europeans transported millions of people from
Africa. And as they sought to justify this practice and
retain their advantages, they also created a racial
system that would define social relationships
throughout the world.

Despite all this, Africans and African Americans after
them would rise above the positions to which they had
been relegated. They created poetry, drama, literature,
and film, they sang the blues, they invented jazz, and
they fought for justice and equality.
555th Parachute Infantry Battalion
"Triple Nickles," succeeded in
becoming the nation's first all-black
parachute infantry test platoon,
company, and battalion.
The Tuskegee Airmen
dedicated, determined young
men who enlisted to become
America's first black military
airmen, at a time when there
were many people who
thought that black men lacked
intelligence, skill, courage and
patriotism
The USS Mason was the only ship crewed
by black sailors to see combat. Although
known as "Eleanor's Folly," the Mason
served with distinction during World War II.
The Women's Army Corps 6888th Battalion
was a World War II unit. Composed of
approximately 850 black women, it was
formed in the days when the U.S. armed
services were segregated
The Golden Thirteen were the
thirteen African American enlisted
men who became the first African
American commissioned officers
in the United States Navy.
Montford Point was a United
States Marine Corps recruit depot
in North Carolina. Created in 1942
as a satellite of the newly
constructed Camp Lejeune,
Montford Point was established
for the training of black Marines
during segregation.
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was
one of the first official black units in the United
States armed forces[1], an infantry regiment that
fought in the American Civil War.