African American Men in World War II: A Documentary Project

This Week in Black History, Society, and Culture

This episode is a conversation between Dr. Hettie V. Williams, Drs. Nancy Mezey, Chad Dell and Michelle DeFossett producers of a documentary film on African Americans in World War II. Mezey and Dell are professors at Monmouth University and DeFossett is an executive with a non-profit. The story tells the history of her father and his friends who all served in World War II as members of the 369th regiment. My Buddy: The WWII Documentary Project is a research and documentary group based out of Monmouth University (MU) in West Long Branch, NJ. The purpose of the project is to examine the military and cultural history of the 369th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment during the WWII era, as well as the contributions of the 369th Veterans Association and the 369th Historical Society since the 1950s. This ongoing documentary project is based on original interviews conducted in 2004 with members of the 369th Veterans Association, additional interviews being currently conducted, as well as family photos and memorabilia, news articles, and other artifacts. The initial work suggests several important themes, including family, community, identity, masculinity, race, and social justice. See more about the project here: https://guides.monmouth.edu/mybuddy