In the case of African American servicemen, vernacular photography visually turned the uniformed soldier into both an everyday-man and first-class citizen. Photographs of Black men standing strong and dressed in military uniform showed them as loyal and patriotic, but most importantly, as American citizens. ]]> Read more about Black Gold Star Mothers Washington Post, October 25, 2017]]>
“I wanted to find freedom of soul and spirit. I wanted to do things to help freedom come to my people. I was ready to fight, if necessary to obtain it. I wanted to feel that I was a human being and that we were all human beings.” ]]> Speech available from the University of Missouri St. Louis Black History Project Collection.]]>
In the case of African American servicemen, vernacular photography visually turned the uniformed soldier into both an everyday-man and first-class citizen. Photographs of Black men standing strong and dressed in military uniform showed them as loyal and patriotic, but most importantly, as American citizens]]>
The Johns Hopkins University]]>
In the case of African American servicemen, vernacular photography visually turned the uniformed soldier into both an everyday-man and first-class citizen. Photographs of Black men standing strong and dressed in military uniform showed them as loyal and patriotic, but most importantly, as American citizens. ]]>
The Johns Hopkins University]]> scanned the entire African American Real Postcard collection making it available to everyone.]]>
In the case of African American servicemen, vernacular photography visually turned the uniformed soldier into both an everyday-man and first-class citizen. Photographs of Black men standing strong and dressed in military uniform showed them as loyal and patriotic, but most importantly, as American citizens.

Vernacular photography of uniformed soldiers also mobilized Black families and communities. Particularly, during WWII, the images provided African Americans with visual symbols that aided in the Double V Campaign, rallying Black people to fight for victories abroad against fascism and at home against U.S. racism.]]>
The Johns Hopkins University]]>
For Black mothers and widows who decided to take the trip often did so in opposition to Black leaders and the Black press. Their pilgrimage affirmed their right to grieve and define for themselves how to exercise their freedoms as Black mothers and wives.]]>