In This Episode
Happy Juneteenth! Juneteenth is a holiday to celebrate the end of slavery in the United States and the emancipation of millions of Black Americans held in human bondage. People like my great-great-grandparents. Their grandson, my grandfather, Oscar Coaston, served his country during World War II as part of a segregated unit that landed on Omaha Beach during D-Day.
Today, nearly 80 years since the U.S. military was officially desegregated, 20% of the military is Black. But since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the administration has made it crystal clear that Black servicemembers are not to be treated with respect.
So to talk about the impact the Trump administration has had on Black members of the military, I spoke to Clint Smith. He’s a staff writer at the Atlantic.
Show Notes:
- Clint’s piece in The Atlantic – https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/07/black-military-patriots-hegseth/687306/
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