Who do you picture when you hear the word "veteran"? If you picture someone white, you're not alone.

Today we spend some time sharing the military history and stories of marginalized groups, including Black Americans, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. These groups often were the most decorated in combat but faced segregation and disparate treatment while part of the active military, and, upon returning home, found themselves the target of racism, persecution, or worse.

If these stories are new to you too, we invite you to listen, so we can stop history from continuing to repeat itself.

Help us celebrate all of our veterans on this Veterans Day. Thank you for your service.

What to listen for:

• Specific stories of Black veterans being persecuted, even after fighting to secure freedoms that they did not benefit from – from post-Civil War, during the Red Summer, and through World War II
• How the G.I. Bill, which was meant to help all veterans, specifically excluded Black Americans from many of its provisions.
• The forming of the 442nd Regiment of Japanese-Americans during World War II (spoiler alert: started from a PR perspective).
• How Latinos and Native Americans fought in non-segregated units, and their different military experiences as a result.

Want to learn more?

PDF: Lynching in America - Targeting Black Veterans

Fighting for Democracy - Japanese Americans

Fighting for Democracy - Latino & Native Americans

Red Summer of 1919: How Black WWI Vets Fought Back Against Racist Mobs

Neglected at Home After Serving Abroad: The Story of Black Women Veterans

The Tragic Forgotten History of Black Military Veterans

The Struggle of Black Veterans

How the GI Bill's Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans

442nd Regimental Combat Team

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