Under the Vault of Menchi, in the historic center of Barga, the journalist Ilaria Lonigro presents his book La Storia prima di te (The History before you).
During the move in the old Viareggio grandmother's house, Irene discovers, buried in the garden, a box with old images of a black boy and, yellowed by time, letters dated 1946, signed by a certain John. Thus begins a journey back in time to 1944. The front advances and the small seaside town became the seat of the 92nd American division, made up of only blacks. And some white dissident whom the authorities had put the words "nigger" on documents. They are the Buffalo Soldiers, called by locals "buffalo". John Moses Railey is one of them.
He has twenty years and is convinced that the war will serve people of color to redeem himself at home. Urges comrades to fight for the freedom of the Italian and his. Segregation that oppresses them at home, in fact, continues to face. One of the companions of John accidentally comes into possession of a letter, addressed to a senior officer, would reveal the plan of a diverted the army to blow up in the open ocean vessels at the end of the war they would have reported the blacks soldiers house. John decides to give life to BforD, Buffalo for Democracy. Together they want to denounce to the world undergone segregation and the mad plans of which racism would like them victims.
The book tells a story that our area has experienced up close, that is the color of the Buffalo Division soldiers during World War II he worked on the Gothic Line. The book, which also recalls the story of John Fox and the Battle of Sommocolonia, has a preface by Silvia Baraldini, to emphasize the historical-political depth. Silvia Baraldini was a member, in the US, the Black Panther movement for civil rights of blacks, and was sentenced to 43 years in prison for subversive association, punishment has finished serving in Italy.
The journalist Ilaria Lonigro is collaborator of various magazines including D-Rep, L'Espresso, The Fact Daily, West.
LA STORIA PRIMA DI TE – HISTORY BEFORE YOU
Barga, Volta of Menchi, Old Town
2016 June 12
h 17:30
Free entry