In war and in peacetime, in theaters of conflict and on the homefront, American women have participated in our nation’s defense. Until recent years, those contributions have failed to attract much notice. Even less understood: the contributions of African American women, who had to fight just for the right to serve.
On Sunday, March 29, at 2 pm in the History Museum auditorium, see the New Mexico premiere of Sweet Georgia Brown: Impact, Courage, Sacrifice and Will, a documentary by Lawrence E. Walker of PureHistory Films. A celebration of National Women’s History Month, the event will include remarks by Walker; Marilyn Dykman, a retired Coast Guard officer and the first female Hispanic aviator in Coast Guard history; and Lt. Col. Pam Gaston, representing Women Veterans of New Mexico, a nonprofit organization providing support services.
The event is free with museum admission. Sundays are free to NM residents. Seating is limited. Make a reservation by calling (505) 476-5152.
When he began working on the film, Walker found little information about African American women in the military. “It was as though these women did not exist,” he said. He conducted research at the National Archives, Library of Congress, and Rutgers University to learn more. You can view a trailer of his film here: trailer rev 2.mov. Download National Archives images from the film by clicking on "Go to related images" at the bottom of this page.
“The purpose of this documentary is to examine the consequences or changes in race and gender policies for the status of African American women in the military during World War II,” he said on the “Journey to Freedom” website (http://lewfoundation.org/sweetgeorgiabrown.htm). “This is a logical period to study, because it marked a significant turning point for African American women in the U.S. armed services.”
Walker is a storyteller, filmmaker and historian dedicated to collecting and sharing resources documenting the African-American experience in U.S. history. He has worked in television and broadcasting throughout his career, and in 2009 was named senior researcher at the Center for African and African Diaspora studies at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. His documentary work has explored the African American histories of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Georgia from the 16th century to the present day.
Fox is a graduate of New Mexico Military Institute and a former deputy adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard. Gaston served in the active and reserve Army with her last tour in support of Iraq and Afghanistan.
