Written by his son, a great American story through the eyes of a black man during a very pivotal period in our nation’s history.

 

William Columbus Jenkins, a member of the Silent Generation, is a devoted family man and a proud Army veteran. By the time he reached the young age of 22, he had experienced the world. From growing up on the streets of Braddock, Pennsylvania during the height of the steel industry, to cropping tobacco on the family farm in South Carolina enduring the ugliness of Jim Crow, chain gangs and the threat of Klan violence, to navigating the racial tension amongst his own countryman while serving in Germany as a young private in the United States Army not long after its integration, my father has quite a story to share.

 

This book captures his journey through a series of unique stories and personal experiences that are well worth the time to read. Beginning with a very storied family history prior to the Great Migration, this book takes you on a fascinating adventure through his childhood, his teenage years and concludes with him de-boarding the train on his return back home to his family following his military tour from Europe.

 

This book is both a personal memoir and a living history book through the eyes of a man that anybody can learn from regardless of their background. It is a roller coaster ride that is full of emotions that is both thought provoking and awe inspiring. It is an honest account that will open old wounds and truths that are often buried and removed from our nation’s history books, while still serving as a reminder that there remains a path forward through hope, reconciliation and most importantly…love.

 

We are all Americans.