Sunday, June 9, 2024 14:30 – 17:00

LECTURE 80 YEARS D-DAY: THE FORGOTTEN BLACK LIBERATORS, BY MIEKE KIRKELS

On D-day, 6 June 1944, Operation Overlord took place in Normandy, France.

In 2009, Mieke Kirkels, author and public historian, coincidentally came into contact with an African American veteran who participated in this gigantic operation. His name: Dr. Jefferson Wiggins. Until 2009, nothing had been written in our country about the 1.2 million African-Americans in the US Army during WWII, neither about the 125,000 of them who left for Europe in 1942, nor about the 16,000 of them who were stationed in our country. It was also unknown that the US Army of 1942-1948 was completely segregated. Nothing could be found in books or archives about it. There were stories about people in our country who had met the Black Liberators from September 1944, and these were documented by Mrs. Kirkels. The lecture is mainly based on the memories of Dr. Wiggins, which have been recorded in the book ‘Van Alabama naar Margraten’ [From Alabama to Margraten].

During the interval and afterwards, the latest comprehensive edition of ‘Van Alabama naar Margraten’ – will be made available.

Entrance fee: Adults €10.00/Supervised youngsters aged under 18 free/Students by showing a student card €5.00. To be paid at the entrance using a QR code. Reservations can be made in advance via info@miekekirkels.nl.