Director's Statement

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During World War One, troops from all over the globe endured the notorious hardships of trench life. On the western front, many Black American soldiers had their first exposure to African men who shared a physical resemblance, but under the surface brought with them markedly different cultures and languages.

Both these Americans and French Colonial troops from the likes of Senegal and Algeria—often clad in the famous French blue uniforms of the Great War—made their own reputations as formidable fighting forces. Their experiences together marked a crucial moment in reconnecting these separate strands of the African Diaspora.

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