For nearly a century, the names of 104 men sat in a dusty file in the National Archives. The list, lost to history, gave scant information on a group of African-American doctors who volunteered in World War I, some of whom were killed in battle.
But that brief information—just name, age and hometown—was enough for researchers Joann Buckley ’66 and Doug Fisher to begin tracking down these volunteers and piecing together details of their lives.
The two authors will share the unique stories of the men and uncovering lost history at Robert Russa Moton Museum on Friday, April 29 at 3 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend the presentation.
"This is the first joint Longwood-Moton Museum event to commemorate the centennial of World War I," said Dr. Larissa Fergeson, assistant provost for outreach and professor of history. "The African-Americans who fought in World War I came of age when segregation, disenfranchisement and racial violence were on the rise in America, yet they still felt called to serve their country and force the nation to live up to its democratic ideals. These are remarkable men with remarkable stories."
Buckley and Fisher have been interviewed on national podcasts and regional television across the country, and included in the Association for the Study of African American Life and History at its 2016 Featured Authors event in Washington, D.C.
The event will include a book sale and signing, with the price discounted to $35 for this special event.
Buckley, who worked as a teacher in Virginia and Ohio after graduating from Longwood, worked as a writer and editor in Washington, D.C., with the National Newspaper Association. She was instrumental in coordinating international study missions for newspaper editors.
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