About the Book First time in paperback: An all-encompassing chronicle of African Americans in the armed forces of the United States Book Synopsis From the birth of the United States, African American men and women have fought and died in defense of a nation that has often denied them many fundamental rights of citizenship. Now Gerald Astor has chronicled their efforts and accomplishments in this critically acclaimed survey. From Crispus Attucks, the first casualty of the American Revolution, to fighters on both sides of the Civil War, Astor moves to the postwar Indian campaigns and the infamous Brownsville riot. He also documents the prejudices and grievous wrongs that have kept African Americans from service -- and finally traces their ascent to the highest levels. The Right to Fight is a groundbreaking contribution to American history. About the Author World War II veteran Gerald Astor drew upon his combat experiences to author more than a dozen war books. He received his B.A. from Princeton University before working as the picture editor at Sports Illustrated during its early years and as an editor at Sport magazine, Look, The Saturday Evening Post , and Time . He died in 2008 at 81.