Although it was a huge stepping stone and many accomplishments came from it, being an African American in the military was not an easy task. It took a lot of strength and courage to endure all the abuse and disrespect while simply trying to fight for your country. But all the courageous efforts of these African Americans have not been forgotten. There has never been a war fought by the United States in which black soldiers were not an integral part. In the beginning, blacks wanted to fight because it gave them a real sense of purpose. Soldiers were held in high esteem and it was considered an honor to fight for your country. During the Vietnam War, blacks made up 12.6 percent of the soldiers who fought. During the time in Vietnam, US involvement worsened due to the conflicts of the civil rights movement. The way blacks were treated by other soldiers while on base was considered “racism” and African Americans began to accuse and accuse many of that act. In this context, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began to fight even harder for the respect of blacks. He described the Vietnam War and conflicts as "a white man's war, a black man's fight." The achievements of blacks in wars and their courageous efforts encouraged many more African Americans to take a stand for freedom and equality as time went on. . Not only did Dr. King help correct abuses against black soldiers during the war, but he also led many civil rights marches, spoke to and comforted his people during the civil rights movement, and fought for freedom until the day of his death. People like Dr. King helped pave 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 in the civil war. Louisiana. Baton, Rouge: 1976. (accessed 5 March 2014). Rozwena, Edwina. Slavery as a cause of the Civil War. DC: Heath and Company, 1963. (accessed 5 March 2014). Schwalm, Leslie A. Surviving Wartime Emancipation: African Americans and the Cost of Civil War. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics 39, n. 1 (Spring 2011 2011): 21-27. Academic research completed, EBSCOhost (accessed March 5, 2014). Smith, Gene Allen. The Slaves' Gamble: Choosing Sides in the War of 1812. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2013. (accessed 5 March 2014). Teaching with Documents: 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).