Veterans Day is here and the annual federal holiday honors those who have served in the United States Armed Forces in all capacities. On social media, several black veterans are sharing photos of themselves in military gear, and we're highlighting what we've seen so far on Veterans Day.
To explain the history of the holiday, we look to the US Department of Veterans Affairs explainer below:
The First World War – then known as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, at the Palace of Versailles outside the city of Versailles, France. However, the fighting stopped seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany took effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For this reason, November 11, 1918 is generally regarded as the end of the “war to end all wars”.
Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of the day of the week it falls on. Moving the celebration of Veterans Day back to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A holiday to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love for country and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
According to Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), over 350,000 Black active and select reserve members currently serve in the military, in addition to over 2.4 million Black veterans in the country. This is stated in the study, “Missing Perspectives: Blacks and African Americans in the Military – From Service to Civilian Life.”
While black veterans participate in the celebration, the same study wrote in its findings that 56% of respondents said they have faced issues related to racial/ethnic discrimination with 455 saying their racial/ethnic identity makes it difficult to advance at work. Adding to this, 59% said their transition to life outside the military was difficult. It should be noted that the study also highlights several positives.
As we salute those who joined the military at great risk and reward on Veterans Day, check out the collection of posts below to see Black veterans shining in their element.
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Photo: Getty
