African-American war efforts to be examined

History is more than past events. History is a collage of individual stories.

Individual stories of African Americans who served in the military during World War II will be shared at a conference this weekend. The conference will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Best Western State College Inn, on the corner of South Atherton Street and Branch Road.

The goal of the conference, "The Pennsylvania Military Experience 1942-45: African American Perspectives," is to bring to the forefront the stories and experiences of African Americans in World War II, said Amy Killpatrick, museum educator at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Harrisburg (PHMC). The PHMC and the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, as well as other organizations that are sponsoring the event.

"I think (the program) will help because it will bring out individual peoples' stories, which are sometimes more striking," Killpatrick said. "When you hear an individual talk about their experience it makes it more realistic."

Brig. Gen. Dallas C. Brown, former commandant of the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks will be the speaker at the luncheon. There will also be a panel discussion consisting of veterans of the 92nd Infantry, 55th Paratroop Infantry, Tuskegee Airmen, Women's Auxiliary Army Corps, Women's Army Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines, according to a news release.

Although the experiences of African Americans as well as soldiers from the state of Pennsylvania are represented at the museum, this is the first time there will be a conference to specifically address the role African Americans played in World War II, said Joseph Horvath, museum educator and curator.

"(The conference's purpose) is to open up the museum to African Americans, to cultivate a relationship with them and to engage in a dialogue on how African Americans might want to be represented in museum programs," Horvath said.

Three years ago the PHMC completed a self-review study and decided there was a need to focus more attention on certain aspects of history, one of those areas chosen was African-American experiences, Killpatrick said. Three sites were chosen to host conferences including the Anthracite Heritage Museum in Scranton, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg and the military museum in Boalsburg, she added.

Tickets for the event are $20 and include the Saturday conference as well as a Friday evening reception at the military museum.

For more information contact Joseph Horvath at 466-6263.