Marcus S. Cox serves as Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Fayetteville State University. He earned an under...

The Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust (CBCVB), an advisory group to members of Congress on issues related to African Americans and veterans affairs, has awarded its 2015 Veterans Braintrust Award to The National WWII Museum in recognition of work on behalf of African American veterans in World War II. Award selection is based on the support of the president and first lady and stems from the Museum’s development of a special exhibit, <em>Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II</em>.

Dr. Rothacker Smith looked death in the eye several times during World War II. In these moments during his wartime service, during captivity as a German POW and beyond, his faith carried him through and indeed directed much of his life, as did the proud tradition of the Buffalo Soldier which he upheld.

Mary McLeod Bethune was a passionate educator and presidential advisor. In her long career of public service, she became one of the earliest black female activists that helped lay the foundation to the modern civil rights movement.

It was only in the wake of Executive Order 8802, and a presidential directive issued directly to the Corps, that the Marines began setting up a new segregated training facility for African American recruits at Montford Point, North Carolina. One of the first recruits was Edgar Cole.