Although African Americans have always fought and died in defense of their country, even before there was a United States of America, it has always been an uphill struggle for them to partake of this fundamental obligation of citizenship. Despite hundreds of years of evidence to the contrary. European Americans, both well meaning and hostile, have persisted in questioning the ability of African Americans to fight in mortal combat for their country. So widespread and deep seated were these prejudices that supposedly scientific studies were used to try to keep African Americans from flying combat aircraft in World War II. Even today, with the armed forces fully integrated and following the ascension of Colin Powell to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest uniformed post in America's military, race still matters. Yet, as shown in The Right to Fight, the valorous service of African Americans in defense of their country is all the more remarkable given the nature of the society they have defended.
