American Historical Ephemera & Photography, including African Americana

19 x 8 1/2 in. typed report/telegram from by Russell Braley, a foreign correspondent with the New York Daily News who was stationed in Germany from 1955-1975. The report, which was sent from Frankfurt, indicates that there is a "very serious story about racial tension in Fulda, also Hanau, Giessen Schweinfurt and other army posts." He continues, "briefly the youth revolution and black revolution has hit the army, not yet to mutiny proportions but close." Braley references taping "Carlos Rodriguez" at least twice, stating that he "denies everything in hook letter and that he wrote it also denies army intimidation or suggestion." During another meeting with "Carlos," Braley notes that "more blacks came into his room until dozen were there, all giving black panther bumped-fist greeting...they deny being panthers but have panther posters. some charge kkk but not take it seriously. theyve [sic] been bucking army to show their individuality solidarity and manhood and now charge army trying to clean them out by forcing them into 212 discharges..." Braley states, "there is no army coverup plot but as usual the army is trying cool it, which means minimizing press reports which tend to aggravate, especially if they are dead wrong."

Braley may have been referring to Carlos Rodriguez Torres, who was involved in the soldier and sailor uprising that occurred in June 1969 at Fort Dix near Trenton, NJ, at the height of the Vietnam War. Torres was convicted of throwing a mattress onto a fire during the rebellion and was sentenced to four years at hard labor, a bad conduct discharge, and loss of pay. The antiwar movement and GI underground press considered Torres a "victim of racism."

[With:] The US Negro in Vietnam. A Series by Thomas A. Johnson reprinted from the New York Times. 29-30 April and 1 May 1968. A scarce publication compiled by one of the few Black reporters of the era, Thomas A. Johnson. -- 3 silver gelatin photographs providing candid shots of Black soldiers of the Vietnam-era, 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. The image capturing two soldiers, one strumming a guitar, is dated 12 December 1963 on verso, and identifies the subjects as "SP/4 Scott & myself, the day they left to go home."

Together, 4 items associated with the Vietnam War.