Abstract
Representing neither the glory of World War II, nor the anguish of the Vietnam War, the Korean War continues to occupy an obscure place in American history and culture. Similarly, those who fought in this conflict–including African Americans–have been overshadowed by the combatants who served before and after. Yet the Korean War was enormously significant, not least because it was the first conflict fought by a racially integrated American fighting force. For the first time, black and white soldiers ate, slept, and fought side by side. Films about the Korean War made during the 1950s explored this new racial dynamic. Focusing on the representation of African Americans in The Steel Helmet (1951) and Pork Chop Hill (1959), this article examines the ways in which screen representations both reflected and challenged popular attitudes regarding African American military service during the Korean War.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 409-423 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television |
| Volume | 44 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 1 Apr 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.Keywords
- Korean War
- African American History
- Film