Black Yanks by Kate Werran

Black Yanks by Kate Werran

Black Yanks is the story of how an African American soldier from Missouri ended up on death row in D-Day Britain – and the extraordinary campaign that set him free. The drama plays out over a tumultuous six weeks, set against a backdrop of the most audacious sea-borne invasion ever attempted. As the build-up to D-Day escalates, Leroy Henry’s story unfolds, allowing us to view a pivotal point in history with an entirely new perspective: making race, the ‘special relationship’ and the British peoples’ collective powerful key considerations. This fascinating, alternative timeline reveals an edgier wartime society, hidden tensions in Anglo-American relations and the moment the British tabloid press learned to roar. Ultimately, Leroy Henry’s court martial – and everything it stood for – provoked mind-blowing decision-making at the highest military level. Kate Werran unearths a wealth of archival material to help disclose the story behind the first significant, if uncelebrated, win in the civil rights movement; a story that has been overlooked for nearly eight decades. Until now.

'as compelling as any TV crime drama'

* DAILY MAIL *

'The author takes the complex threads of this culture and weaves them together expertlyThe result is superb. A rich retelling of a vital episode in history.'

* HISTORY OF WAR *

‘… a pivotal point in history with an entirely new perspective making race, the 'special relationship' and the British people's collective power key considerations.’

* THE BATH MAGAZINE *

'It is a remarkable story, and one told with considerable flair...'

* BRISTOL POST *

KATIE WERRAN is a specialist on the US army that was stationed in Britain before, during and after D-Day. Her first, award-winning book An American Uprising in Second World War England was optioned for documentary and scripted drama. Kate came to writing after a career in journalism, and she has produced critically acclaimed twentieth-century history programmes for the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5. In 2024, she was elected to the Royal Historical Society as an Associate Fellow.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781803993522
ISBN 10	1803993529
Title	Black Yanks
Author	Kate Werran
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	The History Press Ltd
Year published	2024-04-11
Number of pages	272
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.