OC Fair opens installation of WW II experiences of Black soldiers at Heroes Hall Museum

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

On Feb. 16, Heroes Hall Museum at the OC Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, will open a new exhibit called “Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II.”

Produced by The National WWII Museum, the exhibit features artifacts, photographs and oral histories to highlight some of the extraordinary achievements and challenges of African Americans during World War II, both overseas and on the home front.

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

In the years before World War II, African Americans in many parts of the country were treated as second-class citizens. Discriminatory practices were condoned by the government, and African Americans were systematically denied many rights and liberties by laws that kept them in positions of inferiority.

Due to the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision in 1896, the United States was a nation where “separate but equal” was law in many states. In addition, many military leaders declared African Americans unfit to serve in combat.

However, once the war began, thousands rushed to enlist, determined to fight for freedom while still being denied equality at home.

On display at Heroes Hall Museum through Sept. 18, “Fighting for the Right to Fight” illustrates how hopes for securing equality inspired many to enlist, the discouraging reality of the segregated non-combat roles given to black recruits, and the continuing fight for “Double Victory” that laid the groundwork for the modern civil rights movement.

Through interactive experiences, visitors will discover the wartime stories of individual service members who took part in this journey of extraordinary challenge, from unheralded heroes to famous names, including Alex Haley (U.S. Coast Guard); Sammy Davis Jr. (U.S. Army); Benjamin Davis Jr. (U.S. Army Air Forces); Medgar Evers (U.S. Army) and more.

EXHIBIT VIDEO

The centerpiece of the exhibit is an original eight-minute video about the famed 332nd Fighter Group (better known as the Tuskegee Airmen), who in many ways became the public focus of African American participation during the war. The piece is narrated by television personality Robin Roberts, whose own father flew with the Tuskegee Airmen during the war. See artifacts and images from the exhibit and learn more at righttofightexhibit.org.

OPENING CEREMONY

All are welcome to the grand opening ceremony, which will feature speakers, performances and kids activities. The free event will be held Saturday, Feb. 19, at 11 a.m. at the Heroes Hall Museum at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Heroes Hall is a permanent, year-round museum to honor the legacy of Orange County veterans and others who served the nation.