“Developing a better understanding of slavery, the way slavery informed racist ideas, and how Americans in the past valued enslaved bodies – both as a type of economic savings.
Account and as less than human – goes a long way to helping us understand why so many people in the United States think and treat people of color negatively.”
Leonard Matlovich was a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient and a renowned Vietnam War warrior.
In an effort to challenge the military’s prohibition on homosexuals, he was also the first gay American service man to consciously come out as gay.
But after coming out to his commanders, the US Air Force fired him, even though he had a perfect record. Unfazed, Matlovich turned become a fervent supporter of the LGBTQ community.
