Promoted to brigadier general at the start of World War II, Davis headed a special section that monitored black military units at home and overseas, investigated an increasing number of racial disturbances, and bolstered the black soldier's morale. He was largely responsible for persuading the Army to try a limited form of integration. The success of that effort led to a federal mandate for the integration of the entire American armed forces."--

Abstract on Benjamin O. Davis Sr.: Americas First Black General: The Paradox of Racial Leadership and the Military Profession ArrayThe purpose of this dissertation is to examine the life and military legacy of the Armys first African-American general. Using the life and military career of Benjamin O. Davis Sr. as a lens into the military experience of black soldiers in general, I hope to capture his historical impact upon the military and American society in general. I would like to explore to what extent Davis accommodated, resisted, and or negotiated the larger patterns of racism in the US military, and to what extent he shaped those patterns. American attributes normally associated as positive traits that coincided with military service, i.e., nationalism, military professionalism, and service to the nation, in many cases, clashed against the black American experience of racism, segregation, and open prejudice. As blacks entered the military of Daviss era they were faced with an institution that was openly hostile and dominated by white male figures who openly questioned their value and role within the military.Within this dissertation I will expand on the discussion about the life and service of Davis started by Marvin Fletcher in 1989. This has been the only work written on Davis Sr. Most black military historians or writers have largely overlooked the service and meaning of Daviss life and status as the Armys first black general officer. Several key black authors mentioned within this study, Bernard Nalty, Gail Buckley, David Kilroy, and Gerald Patton, only briefly touch on Davis in their studies of blacks who have served in Americas military. I assert that Davis helped to shape conversations about what military service meant to black soldiers and Americans and African Americans in general. While he may have been a reluctant racial figure, Daviss service and success within the military helped to open portals towards understanding spatial, cultural, and social aspects of blacks service within the army from the period that he served to present..

The life and military career of the first African-American four-star general.

This amazing true story of America’s first Black generals, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. and Jr., a father and son who helped integrate the American military and created the Tuskegee Airmen, is “the book Black America needs in this moment” (Eboni K. Williams, lawyer and cohost of State of the Culture). Red Tails, George Lucas’s celebration of America’s first Black flying squadron, the Tuskegee Airmen, should have been a moment of victory for Doug Melville. He expected to see his great-uncle Benjamin O. Davis Jr.—the squadron’s commander—immortalized on-screen for his selfless contributions to America. But as the film rolled, Doug was shocked when he realized that Ben Jr.’s name had been omitted and replaced by the fictional Colonel A. J. Bullard. And Ben’s father, Benjamin O. Davis Sr., America’s first Black general who helped integrate the military, was left out completely. Dejected, Doug looked inward and realized that unless he worked to bring their inspirational story to light, it would remain hidden from the world just as it had been concealed from him. In this “thoughtful, highly readable blend of family and military history” (Kirkus Reviews), Melville shares his quest to rediscover his family’s story across five generations, from post-Civil War America to modern day Asia and Europe. In life, the Davises were denied the recognition and compensation they’d earned, but through his journey, Melville uncovers something greater: that dedication and self-sacrifice can move proverbial mountains—even in a world determined to make you invisible. Invisible Generals recounts the lives of a father and his son who always maintained their belief in the American dream. As the inheritor of their legacy, Melville retraces their steps, advocates for them to receive their long-overdue honors and unlocks the potential we all hold to retrieve powerful family stories lost to the past.

James' inspiring life, from his days as a pioneering Tuskegee airman to the stratosphere of command of NORAD.

General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr., USAF, fought in three American wars and became the first African American to attain the rank of four-star general in the United States Armed Forces. He was a talented military leader, an excellent orator and an advocate for equal rights for blacks in the military. James was once one of the most powerful men in the world, and today he is often classed with such great American generals as Patton, MacArthur and Pershing. This biography explores James's life and assesses his place in American military history. From his childhood through his role and service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, the book traces his personal and career development, his influences, and his climb through the military ranks. Photographs of James are included as well as detailed bibliographical information at the end of each chapter.

Description of the career of Lynch (1959) from a young law student to US top legal adviser.