DOC Place; Race; and Story: Essays on the Past and Future of Historic Preservation by Ned Kaufman in History

Description

“A wonderful American story of the extraordinary sacrifices made by a group of Mexican Americans . . . A shining example of patriotism at its best.”—Former U.S. Representative Tom RailsbackThey came from one street; but death found them in many places. . . in a distant jungle; a frozen forest; and trapped in the flaming wreckage of a bomber blown from the sky. They all came from a single street in Silvis; Illinois; a dirt road barely a block and a half long; with an unparalleled history.The Mexican-American families who lived on that one street sent fifty-seven of their children to fight in World War II and Korea—more than any other place that size anywhere in the country. Eight of those children died. It’s a distinction recognized by the Department of Defense; one that earned that strip a distinguished name: Hero Street.This is the story of those brave men and their families; how they fought both in battle and to be accepted in a society that remained biased against them even after they returned home as heroes. Based on interviews with relatives; friends; and soldiers who served alongside the men; as well as personal letters and photographs; The Ghosts of Hero Street is the compelling and inspiring account of a street of soldiers—and men—who would not be denied their dignity or their honor.INCLUDES PHOTOS