Even though it was a huge stepping stone and many accomplishments came from it, being an African American in the military was no easy task. It took a lot of strength and courage to put up with all the abuse and disrespect while just trying to fight for your country. But all the courageous efforts of these African-Americans are not forgotten. There has never been a war fought by the United States in which black soldiers were not an integral part. At first, black people wanted to fight because it gave them a real purpose. Soldiers were held in high esteem and it was considered an honor to fight for one's country. During the Vietnam War, blacks made up 12.6% of the soldiers fighting. During the Vietnam era, American involvement took a turn for the worse due to the conflicts of the civil rights movement. The way black people were treated while on base by other soldiers was considered "racism" and African Americans began to blame many of them for the act. Following this, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began to fight even harder for respect for black people. He described the Vietnam War and conflicts as "a white man's war, a black man's fight." The achievements that black people achieved in the wars as well as their valiant efforts encouraged many other African Americans to take a stand for freedom and equality over time. . Not only did Dr. King help correct abuses against black soldiers during the war, but he also led numerous civil rights marches, spoke to and comforted his people during the civil rights movement, and fought for freedom until the day he dies. People like Dr. King paved the way for others to get involved. For example, his wife Coretta Scott King, Joseph Lowery, Eleanor Roosevelt and Al Sharpton are just a few... middle of paper ... Americans in the military. New York City, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2010. (accessed March 19, 2014). Rozwena, Peter. Slaves and Freedmen during the Civil War. Louisiana. Baton, Rouge: 1976. (accessed March 5, 2014). Rozwena, Edwina. Slavery as a cause of the Civil War. DC: Heath and Company, 1963. (accessed March 5, 2014). Schwalm, Leslie A. Surviving Wartime Emancipation: African Americans and the Cost of the Civil War. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics 39, no. 1 (spring 2011 2011): 21-27. Academic research completed, EBSCOhost (accessed March 5, 2014). Smith, Gene Allen. The Slaves' Wager: Choosing Sides in the War of 1812. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2013. (accessed March 5, 2014). Teaching with Materials: The Fight for Equal Rights: Black Soldiers in the Civil War. National Archives. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war/ (accessed March 5, 2014).