We Were There : Voices of African American Veterans, from World War II to the War in Iraq

Rating:
Summary: Grave Insight into Close-Up Views of War
Review: 9/19/04 Yvonne Latty & Ron Tarver's book "We Were There" of the voices of African American Veterans(World War II,Korean War,Vietnam War,persian Gulf War) will make the reader susceptible to 'tear'. Although ,it gives much example of predjudice(s) eperienced by most of these Veterans at one time or another, incl often predjudice from other African Americans ,often predjudices from other non-black,non-white,it gives so many examples of just "bloody lost of limb,life,lucidness". Each essay, is its own little autobiography, with the next essay being as compeling..The least compelling were those of Clothing Designer (FUBU Corporation)'s J. Alexander Martin[Navy E-4]Gulf War) & Army Brigadier General Vincent Brooks(Operation Iraqui Freedom)..(they were very involved. but not as close to the extraordinary sacrifices that "environmental(water to hygiene;friendly fire to hostile fire;canteen meals & Prisoner of War Meals; etc) brought to bear on most of these over 17 year olders to less than 40 year older troup.

Rating:
Summary: A sweet little gem of a book
Review: I came across "We Were There" in the new books section of my library. I'm glad I picked it up -- it's a prettily written and photographed collection of reminisces by African-American men and women who served our country from World War II to Iraq.

One of the things I especially enjoyed were the dual photographs of all the interviewees, one from the period when they were serving in the military and one taken when they were interviewed for the book. Ron Tarver lit and framed his subjects from the same angle as their earlier photographs, allowing you to compare the adult that was to come in their young face with the young person that remains in their adult face.

At a time when presidential candidates are bickering over the legitimacy of their opponent's military record, "We Were There" reminds us of the selfless, and essentially thankless -- if even that -- contributions and sacrifices made by America's men and women of color.

As the title of my review says, this serious recreational reader found this to be a sweet little gem of a book.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Through the reflections of the 28 Veterans in WE WERE THERE, we see how racism affected Americans who willingly served their country which only gave lip service to the words: "freedom and justice for all". These men & women signed up during times of war often eagerly, sometimes as the only way to get out of trouble. Even as they served in a community that belittled them, they were willing to give their all.

It's as if going to war against our enemies wasn't enough, to be an African American, you had to survive, as these Veterans' stories ably show, soul-crushing racism within the military. Executive Order 9981 signed in 1948 was supposed to have changed all of that. As these reminiscents show, it took decades to defeat racism within the armed services so they could become truly integrated.

RebeccasReads highly recommends WE WERE THERE as a unique & exceptional glimpse into what it was like to be an African American in the armed forces since World War II.

Could have had 50 voices & not been repetitive. Could not put it down!

Rating:
Summary: A Compilation of Living History
Review: WE WERE THERE is a collection of photographs, brief biographies, and first hand accounts from African American men and women who have served in the armed forces during times of war. These first hand accounts include stories from veterans that served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, The Persian Gulf War and the ongoing War on Terror. The author includes veterans from many different parts of the United States and includes most branches of the military. It would be a disservice to select a few of the people included in this collection, as each individual made an important contribution to our national history and security and each of their stories touched me in a different way.

WE WERE THERE is a book that should be a part of every library, particularly those in African American homes. While the book is targeted to adults, the language and format of the book lends itself to be easily used with children and even in classroom settings. These veterans, ordinary people like you and me, have had extraordinary experiences defending the United States and the ideal it represents in spite of the obstacles such as racism, sexism and dangerous warfare, that they encountered. I particularly enjoyed the fact, that the book uses the words of the men and women who are relating the experiences, allowing the individuals to have their own voice. And the voices shared in this collection will educate as well as inspire.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers