My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark 521 - I Can Count to Solo
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Feb 26, 2026 A tribute to two Black World War II soldiers who fought with the 92nd Infantry and faced discrimination. Stories cover daring battlefield actions, one man directing artillery on his own position, and delayed recognition decades later. Interlaced with light beauty chat, hair routine talk, and cheerful listener celebrations.
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Systemic Erasure Of Black WWII Valor
- World War II Black soldiers were systematically excluded from top honors due to Jim Crow era racism in the military.
- Georgia explains that despite prior and later Medals of Honor for Black soldiers, none were awarded for WWII until a 1990s review corrected this erasure.
Vernon Baker's Orphanage Upbringing
- Vernon Baker grew up orphaned, raised in Cheyenne and at Father Flanagan's Boys Town, which Georgia notes was better than most orphanages.
- His grandfather taught him to hunt and Boys Town emphasized physical well-being, shaping his early life before military service.
Recruitment Racism And Jim Crow Army Rules
- Vernon initially faced blatant racism at recruitment when a sergeant told him the Army didn't need "you people," but he persisted and enlisted in June 1941.
- Georgia details the Army's Jim Crow-era training doctrine that guided segregation and limited combat roles for Black soldiers.
