African-American Troops in Korea

[African Americana]: [Korean War]:

[Vernacular Photograph Album Documenting the Service of African-American Troops During the Korean War].

[Various locations in and around Seoul, South Korea: 1952]. [22] leaves, illustrated with seventy-three black-and-white photographs in mounting corners. Oblong quarto. Contemporary black lacquered gutta percha covers, illustrated in Korean style, string tied. Minor wear. Very good. Item #12821

A unique peek into Army life in 1952, memorializing the experiences of African-American soldiers during the Korean War. The photographs are uncaptioned, but provide a vivid picture of camp life during the conflict. Here, the soldiers pose alone and in groups, both inside and outside military tents and other structures, in both sunny and snowy conditions, engaged in lifting weights, driving a tank, working around the base, general carousing, and other activities. One image captures an African-American soldier standing outside the Seoul City Hospital, likely indicating the soldiers were based near the city. In addition to the American servicemen, the album includes several images featuring Korean women, with a couple of images capturing a pair of women singing and dancing onstage for the troops. A few other images picture simple portraits of Korean women, including one image showing a young Korean woman posed with one of the soldiers. The album also features a handful of shots of the Korean countryside, with one image picturing a nearby village. Original albums featuring Black soldiers in the Korean War are rarely encountered in the present market.

Price: $1,250