In August 1943, at the height of the second world war, LIFE magazine published an extensive article titled, "Division of black". Racial tensions that inexorably shaped American history and, to a large extent, defines American culture rarely have been more urgent or widespread they were in that moment, when U.S. troops were "fighting for freedom" overseas encoded time prejudice and inequality legislation remained in force in the United States. In fact, few months until the article appeared in life, a massive riot tore through Detroit, leaving several dead, hundreds injured and thousands - mostly African-American - low arrest.
"Black Division" of the life article, meanwhile, chronic and (somewhat mutely) celebrated the growing number of black troops in U.S., focusing primarily on a single unit combat units: the famous 93rd infantry division, its 16,000 soldiers and their thousand officers--half of whom were African-Americans - training at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.
Here, as another black history month it becomes an appearance of LIFE.com, at a crucial moment in American history, when many thousands of citizens, men and women, were otherwise and training to fight to defend a country that long had resisted the notion of "freedom and justice" for all. There is more heroism in that kind of effort; seen in a certain point of view, there is a kind of radical optimism that, in the end, defines the imperfect, bold American experiment as well as something you have.
-Ben Cosgrove is the Editor of LIFE.com
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