The History of the Twentieth Century

426 Incomparably More Difficult

8 snips
Nov 30, 2025
The discussion dives into the struggles of African Americans in the military during the interwar period. It highlights Benjamin O. Davis Sr.'s inspiring rise and the harsh realities faced by early black cadets at West Point. The podcast explores the motivations behind African Americans joining the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War, tying their fight against fascism abroad to the fight against racism at home. Langston Hughes’ role as a war correspondent adds a literary perspective to these transformative times.
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INSIGHT

Institutionalized Racist Doctrine

  • The Army War College taught white officers racialized myths about black soldiers' inferiority in 1925.
  • That doctrine depressed black enlistment and kept active-duty black officers at almost zero for decades.
ANECDOTE

Davis Jr. Conquers West Point

  • Benjamin O. Davis Jr. earned a West Point commission in 1936 despite severe mistreatment at the Academy.
  • His yearbook praised his "courage, tenacity, and intelligence" in conquering an "incomparably more difficult" problem.
INSIGHT

Air Corps Racial Exclusion

  • The U.S. Army Air Corps explicitly excluded African Americans in the 1930s.
  • That exclusion blocked elite military careers despite black officers' ambitions and qualifications.
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