Books in Brief: The Courageous and the Proud

The Courageous and the Proud, by Samuel Vance (Norton, 166 pp., $4.95). Amid the clamor of assorted Black Panther disturbances, a young black patriot has written a personal account of the highlights of his year in Vietnam. Having served nine years as an Army enlisted man, Vance sees Vietnam as a blessing in disguise for many Negroes. He repeatedly asserts that Negro soldiers are called on for a disproportionate share of dangerous assignments, suggesting two possible reasons: white prejudice and black ability. While acknowledging the existence of the former, Vance insists that most often black men are singled out for their ability. Given the chance, they perform superlatively. The book sparks hope that a self-reliant Negro middle class will develop if enough Samuel Vances emerge. The tragedy is that Vance sees the Army, not private enterprise, offering the greatest opportunity for the Negro to exercise responsibility. Perhaps this explains Vance’s equivocation about black street violence. One may suspect that even if a few liberals read the book, they will ignore its message because it lacks the usual prescriptions for collectivism.

DD

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D. B. Duval

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The Courageous and the Proud, by Samuel Vance (Norton, 166 pp., $4.95). Amid the clamor of assorted Black Panther disturbances, a young black patriot has written a personal account of the highlights of his year in Vietnam. Having served nine years as an Army enlisted man, Vance sees Vietnam as a blessing in disguise for many Negroes. He repeatedly asserts that Negro soldiers are called on for a disproportionate share of dangerous assignments, suggesting two possible reasons: white prejudice and black ability. While acknowledging the existence of the former, Vance insists that most often black men are singled out for their ability. Given the chance, they perform superlatively. The book sparks hope that a self-reliant Negro middle class will develop if enough Samuel Vances emerge. The tragedy is that Vance sees the Army, not private enterprise, offering the greatest opportunity for the Negro to exercise responsibility. Perhaps this explains Vance’s equivocation about black street violence. One may suspect that even if a few liberals read the book, they will ignore its message because it lacks the usual prescriptions for collectivism.