In 1945, Howard F. Williams, Jr. reveled in excitement of his upcoming high school graduation; however, just after his 18th birthday, he received a letter notifying him of his obligation to sacrifice his life and fight for a nation that didn’t even fully recognize him as a citizen.

In World War II, the racism he knew at home served alongside him and many other Black soldiers, too. Even In Germany, where he was stationed, Mr. Williams said, “The whites that went before us had taught some of the people in the other countries that we were monkeys and we was everything but what we supposed to be.”

After returning from war, Mr. Williams and other Black soldiers were reminded of the hypocrisy of America’s democracy by seeing the direct inequality America fought abroad and the inequality that welcomed them back home.

As a result, Mr. Williams and many other Black veterans began to agitate for civil rights in America and many became key players in the Civil Rights Movement.

Quote from Mr. Williams to the 2016 These Halls Can Talk cohort: “Get all of the education you can. THEY don’t want you to be educated because they know that once you’re educated, you’ll takeoff.”

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