For Black History Month, Liam McCarthy launches his new book The Life of African American GIs in Britain in WWII: A War Within A War.

When African American GIs in the segregated US military came to Britain they faced the same racism, rough military justice and violence from white American GIs that they suffered in the States. What made their British posting so different was that, away from their bases, African American soldiers were shocked to find there was no segregation.

Using material from American military archives, personnel records, court martial papers and a trove of a family archives, Liam McCarthy's new book (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Life-of-African-American-GIs-in-Britain-in-WWII-Hardback/p/62365) highlights the lives of some of the African Americans who served in Britain. It follows a typical Quartermaster Truck Company as it criss-crossed the country encountering both American racial violence and British affection.

As part of Black History Month, Liam will introduce the book and its key themes. This is a public event, open to all.

About the Author

Liam McCarthy is an Honorary Fellow in the Department of History, Politics and International Relations at the University of Leicester. His previous book Finding a New British Asian Sound on BBC Radio explored how BBC local radio connected with South Asian communities.

Before joining the University of Leicester, he was a journalist for more than 25 years with BBC Radio.

The Book

The Life of African American GIs in Britain in WWII: A War Within a War (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Life-of-African-American-GIs-in-Britain-in-WWII-Hardback/p/62365) is published by Pen and Sword. It will be available from the 30 September 2026.

Black History Month at the University of Leicester

The University of Leicester is proud to celebrate Black History Month this October. The month marks and explores Black stories both past and present to highlight the achievements, experiences, and successes of Black cultural figures and communities. Find out more about our activities and events (https://le.ac.uk/black-history-month).

The Venue

The talk will be in the Careers Hub, which is at the front of the David Wilson Library. The library is on the main campus of the University of Leicester. For further information, see our campus map (https://www.le.ac.uk/maps/#library) or our travel page (https://le.ac.uk/about/travel).

Description supplied by the event organiser.