Upcountry African Americans in the Great War

During a time of racial segregation and marginalization – when African Americans were excluded from the mainstream power structure – African Americans contributed to and were impacted by World War I.

Dr. Courtney Tollison of Furman University will discuss the experiences of African Americans from Upcountry SC in World War I on the homefront and abroad. The impact and contributions of African American troops based at Camps Sevier and Wadsworth in Greenville and Spartanburg, including the Harlem Hellfighters, and the legacy of Cpl. Freddie Stowers of Sandy Springs will be highlighted. She will discuss the role the war played in the development of race consciousness nationally and the journey towards increased civil rights.